The 15,000-square-foot habitat for the University’s beloved mascot has housed only a live oak tree and a waterfall this week as routine maintenance is completed on Mike VI’s home.
“Mike VI was kept inside his night house starting Monday, Aug. 23 so that work could be done on the habitat,” Ginger Guttner, School of Veterinary Medicine spokeswoman, said in an email.
While the Vet School provides care for the live tiger mascot, the Athletic Department is responsible for habitat maintenance.
The “routine maintenance of Mike’s habitat” should be complete by Friday, “or Monday at the latest,” Ronnie Haliburton, associate athletic director for facilities and grounds, said in an email.
While corrective action to repair the habitat happens as needed, the department generally does “extensive work like this every three to four years,” Haliburton said.
The maintenance work includes repairing stucco cracks, replacing damaged molding, re-coating stucco in the viewing area and inside the habitat, replacing all sealants and applying epoxy to waterproof the cracks below the water line at the glass viewing area.
Mike VI’s official Twitter account, @MikeTigerVI, posted a message Thursday morning about the construction.
“Back inside this morning so that the contractors can do some more work on my pool,” the tiger tweeted. “Hopefully I’ll be back out to see you after lunch.”
Haliburton said the average annual cost of maintaining the habitat runs from $25,000 to $35,000 with the bulk of the cost relating to water quality. The routine maintenance costs an additional $25,000 to $45,000.
 
 
 
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Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]