Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposal to revive the tradition of bringing LSU’s live tiger mascot, Mike VII, onto the football field has sparked concern among students, many of whom have voiced strong opposition to the idea.
While the plan might evoke a sense of nostalgia for some, the majority of students believe the potential harm to the tiger far outweighs any entertainment value.
“Obviously it would be exciting to see, but if the research is there that this is not tolerable for the tiger, then no matter how fearsome or strong the tiger looks then overall it’s probably not a good decision,” said computer science freshman Ford Carver-Dews.
“It’s already controversial to some people that we even have a live mascot on campus,” Carver-Dews said. “Being able to see this tiger on our campus is cool, so I wouldn’t want to spoil that by doing anything to harm the tiger.”
Just last week, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Landry urging him to drop his request.
“No one wants to be put in a tiny box,” Randy Quincey, a senior film and television student, said. “If bringing him out and putting him in that tiny cage adds additional stress I don’t think it’s worth it. I’d just rather the tiger be safe.”
The last time Mike made an appearance on the sidelines was Mike VI in 2015 at the eventually canceled McNeese game. Three years later, when LSU adopted Mike VII, they announced the end of this tradition and coined it as “responsible care for live exotic animals” according to the Louisiana Illuminator.
As biological sciences freshman Anastasia Stanis put it, “With exotic animals, it’s probably best we don’t put him under stress. You never know what a tiger can do.”
“Keeping him calm and keeping him relaxed in his habitat is probably the safest option,” Stanis claimed.
Some students aren’t entirely against the idea, but approach it with caution.
“It would be a nice feature to give the team a really cool introduction,” Elijah Troupe, a sophomore journalism major, said. “But I definitely think that they should do it cautiously if they do it at all. It might catch some unwanted attention,” he said.
This is not the first time Landry has commented on LSU athletics. In April, Landry received concerns from a national free speech organization after asking LSU to require student athletes be present during the national anthem.
As some students see it, this is just another attempt for Landry to win the ‘old school’ demographic.
“I think he should stop trying to score culture points,” said psychology sophomore Nick Murphy. “It feels like he’s more interested in making headlines than making a difference,” Murphy said.
Despite Landry’s push to get Mike back in Tiger Stadium, LSU announced Mike VII will remain in his habitat, safe from the spotlight.
