2020 Gumbo Final - Book - Page 19
A Day in the
Life of Mike
ll LSU students love Mike the Tiger, but how much
do we actually know about the live mascot’s
lavish lifestyle? Mike VII arrived on campus
about three years ago from Wild at Heart Wildlife
Center in Florida and has won over the hearts
of many LSU fans. Weighing just 179 pounds
as an 11-month-old when he arrived, Mike has
certainly grown into his place at the University.
Mike has a 15,105 square-foot enclosure,
including a night house, and School of Veterinary
Medicine Professor David Baker as his personal
veterinarian. An average day for the University
mascot begins with being woken up in his nearly
1,000 square-feet night house, which includes the
equivalent of a dining room and bedroom. This
task is completed by his daily caretakers, two
veterinarian students at the University’s School
of Veterinary Medicine. Mike’s morning routine
can take anywhere from an hour and a half to two
hours.
School of Veterinary Medicine Communications
Manager Ginger Guttner emphasized the
importance of the role of Mike’s caretaker. Guttner
said these caretakers have worked with Mike for
two years and visit him twice daily.
“Every day, twice a day, seven days a week, for
two years, one or both of them has to go over
there,” Guttner said. “I always joke; it’s Christmas,
it’s your sister’s wedding, it’s your brother’s highschool graduation, but someone’s got to go
morning and night.”
The caretakers are responsible for taking care of
Mike and maintaining his habitat. They must make
sure the grounds are free of litter, the fences are
safe and secure, the pool filters are clean and the
night house is sanitary. Because of the longevity
of the morning routine and the caretakers’
personal schedules, Mike’s hours of visitation with
the LSU community may fluctuate, but he is
usually outside no later than 8 a.m. and back
inside at night no later than 8 p.m.
While outside, Mike has been known to play with
many visitors through the glass of his habitat.
Guttner said he’s very active because of his
young age.
“He is very sweet, and he is a little goofy,” Guttner
said. When the time comes for Mike to go back
indoors for the night, he is ready for dinner. Many
of his meals can be seen in shapes of the LSU
football team’s opponents’ mascots via social
media and might even be mistaken for hamburger
meat. The 15 pounds of food Mike eats each
night are a part of his commercially-prepared,
carnivorous, feline diet which is specifically
formulated for big cats in captivity.
With his last weigh-in reading 419 pounds, it’s
safe to say Mike is very well fed. Considering
that some tigers in the wild might not eat every
single day, Mike’s daily diet is definitely fit for a
champion, according to Guttner.
Story: Ana Block
Photo: Mitchell Scaglione
Design: Chloe Bryars
a
From dawn to dusk: a day in the life of
LSU’s live mascot, Mike the Tiger
17