When it comes to star animals at the University, one animal gets all the attention: Mike the Tiger. His habitat costs more than students’ dorms. He requires 24/7 pampering from the LSU Vet School, and his face is emblazoned all over LSU merchandise.
Despite his drama queen antics, Mike is regularly upstaged by another mammalian University staple: the grey squirrels. Walk into the quad, and these impish critters will approach you for a loose crumb or sit fearlessly in the middle of a busy walkway as classes let out.
In the fall, they are hard at work scrounging away a few nuts for winter. In the spring, they are desperately trying to lose fur to cool off for the summer heat. College students can relate to this, as we go through a similar cycle of hoarding food in dorm rooms during the fall semester, before hitting the UREC during the spring semester to lose a few pounds for the summer.
Every student on campus has a memorable squirrel story, be it something they witnessed or something they have heard from a friend. University lore has it that squirrels have run across the quad with half-eaten bananas, presumably hurrying off to Lockett Hall to attend class.
Last semester, an “Isabelline colored” squirrel made Reveille headlines for its unusual coloring and elusive nature. On the other hand, students rarely have anything to report about Mike beyond “I once saw him swim.” Clearly, one species takes the happiness of the student body more seriously than the other.
Unfortunately, constantly performing in the public eye can be stressful for squirrels, and occasionally their chipper personalities lapse into anger and disillusion. Tail-biting and irritated squeaking ensue, often in plain sight of students commuting between classes.
Please do not hold these outbursts against the small creatures, and respect their distance in high-stress situations. Remember that if Mike were to have a similar outburst, students’ lives would be in danger.
Mike’s habitat and impressive size may trick visitors into thinking he is the star of the campus, but we will not be fooled. The grey squirrels have more entertainment value in a single hair of their bushy tails than Mike has in his entire 345-pound body.
As Mike lounges in his gilded habitat, the squirrels are putting in hours scampering among the student body. As Mike eats yet another catered meal, the squirrels are humbly endearing themselves to students and faculty for a morsel of food. Before lavishing praise on Mike simply for existing, recognize the animals on campus that have actually made an effort to connect with students.
Cécile Girard is a 20-year-old psychology sophomore from Lake Charles, Louisiana.