He won’t open presents, blow out candles or eat cake, but it’s still his birthday. Mike VI, LSU’s live tiger mascot, turns 5 years old Friday.

“Mike the Tiger has been a part of the University for more than 70 years, and the fact that we’re the only university to have a live tiger on campus is very special,” School of Veterinary Medicine spokeswoman Ginger Guttner said. “To me personally, he really symbolizes LSU — he’s beautiful, he’s strong and he’s impressive.”

A Bengal-Siberian mix, Mike came to LSU when he was 2 years old and was introduced to the University community in his campus habitat on Sept. 1, 2007. Great Cats of Indiana, a nonprofit facility, donated the 320-pound tiger, then named “Roscoe,” to the University.

Now the tiger is known as Mike VI and weighs 460 pounds. By his sixth birthday, Mike could weight 600 pounds, according to a School of Veterinary Medicine news release.

Guttner said an estimated 100,000 people or more visit Mike’s habitat annually. Jessamyn Stidham, who has lived in Baton Rouge for eight years, visited Mike on Wednesday afternoon with her two children, her brother and niece, who were visiting the city.

“This is my second time in two weeks to come with people from out of town,” Stidham said.
Visits to the LSU Dairy Store, to see Mike and to pose in front of the tiger statue near his habitat for pictures are part of every visitor’s tour, she said.

Kevin Welsh, first-year law student, was on campus Wednesday to buy textbooks and stopped to visit Mike for only his second time.

“I think he’s great,” Welsh said. “I know this [facility] is about as good as it gets, and Mike adds to the mystique of the team.”

Welsh said he enjoys seeing Mike during football games and thinks the live tiger intimidates opposing teams. Guttner said she expects Mike to attend most home games this season, though she added if he doesn’t willingly get into the cage, he won’t be forced and may decide on his own accord to skip a game.

“Mike VI is an important mascot and symbol at LSU,” Chancellor Michael Martin said in an email. “He represents strength, cunning, beauty and fearlessness — all characteristics we associate with LSU and all who are part of it. I wish Mike Happy Birthday and many more.”

Guttner said no special events, treats or presents are planned, but “We hope everybody comes Friday and tells him happy birthday.”