Nearly six months have passed since LSU lost their beloved mascot Mike the Tiger to a rare cancer, since then, LSU Veterinarian Dr. David Baker has been searching for a new live mascot to take over Mikes legacy.

Although there are not current any current updates, the veterinary team plans to have a tiger here for the fall. Specifically, they are looking for a male tiger between the ages of one and three

In the mean time, Mike’s habitat is being renovated to make sure he is as comfortable as possible when he arrives.

Updates to his habitat include rock work around his pool area and stream, sealing the glazing walls, replacing signs, replacement of outdoor lights, and other maintenance and repairs that they are able to do right now in the vacant habitat.

“2007 is the last time we had a new Mike and in that case we kept him in his night house for about a week so he could adjust to his new habitat and then we let him out in his yard and he got to feel around and see the place,” Ernie Ballard, LSU Media Relations Director said. 

“About a week later we had a naming ceremony where he officially became Mike the tiger and at the ceremony we invited the media, students, faculty, staff and LSU community to all welcome the new tiger,” Ballard said. 

If everything goes as planned, they will follow the same plan for this year when he arrives.

The project is entirely funded by private funds that were ear marked by Tiger Athletic Foundation.

Renovation updates are posted to their Facebook page at facebook.com/LSUTAF.

Mike’s habitat is already a state of the art facility and keeping a live tiger on our campus not only brings in thousands of visitors to campus every year, but it also raises awareness about Tiger conservation globally.