Not only will the University be getting a new tiger this fall, but the next Mike will experience a newly improved habitat.
Plans for refurbishment came after the death of Mike VI in October.
“Well the original habitat was constructed and opened up in 2005,” LSU Athletics associate director of facility and project development Emmett David said. “Since that time, no major maintenance has been performed on it. So 11, 12 years later with the death of Mike VI, we knew it would be a good window of opportunity to redevelop the habitat.”
At roughly 15,000 square feet, the habitat — the largest in the nation for a single animal, David said — already featured a heated and air conditioned night house, pool and waterfall for Mike. In the updated habitat, the pool and waterfall will be refurbished, and two new features will be added to the habitat, David said.
One new feature is a high tech rock that has a warm surface in the winter and a cool surface in the summer, David said. Tigers enjoy cold weather, which is why previous tigers liked to swim in the pool during the winter months. However, they tend to be more lethargic in the summer months, so the rock will give the new Mike an opportunity to lay out on a cool area in the summer that is more comfortable, David said.
Another feature currently under construction involves the center pole of the habitat that suspends the net above the enclosure. To make it more aesthetically pleasing, as well as to create a more habitat-friendly environment, David said they are making the center pole look like a giant tree in the middle of the habitat. The tree will give the habitat a more natural aesthetic.
All of these new improvements come at a high cost though, and were fully funded through donations, David said.
“It’s roughly $975,000 dollars worth of refurbishment,” David said. “That’s no small chunk change. No state dollars were supporting this — this is all philanthropic donations. This is philanthropic, meaning individuals that want to donate to support the habitat.”
Weather permitting, the habitat should be finished by Aug. 14, David said.
