Mike the Tiger’s $3 million habitat has displayed a fierce commitment to the mascot for 20 years

Chatter was swirling around Baton Rouge in 2005 about one of the most expensive homes ever built in the city.

Key features included a splashy pool, lush green space and an around-the-clock care team. Its resident? A 400-pound Bengal Indochinese tiger, known as Mike V.

And while luxury home prices have caught up to the approximately $3 million project, Mike the Tiger’s Habitat remains a world-class facility for LSU’s live mascot 20 years later.

Mike the Tiger has lived on LSU’s campus since 1937. The previous versions of Mike’s home met zoo standards for their time, according to Ginger Guttner, assistant director of communications at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, but they lacked ample space for the beloved Bengal to roam.

In 2001, the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) launched the I Like Mike campaign to fund an ambitious overhaul of the habitat that would give Mike V and future Mikes exceptional qualities of life.

Tiger faithful could donate during home football games and at collection boxes around campus. Louisiana artist George Rodrigue sold hand-signed prints of Mike to contribute to the effort, and TAF gave fans a chance to put their stamp on the space via engraved bricks that now wrap the habitat for $100 a pop.

Construction launched in November 2004, adhering to a design by LSU alum Ace Torre, known for projects at the Audubon Zoo, Zoo Atlanta and elsewhere.

The result was a 14,000-square-foot, nature-inspired yard that mimics what Mike V might have experienced in the wild. Plus, a clean indoor area where he could receive care from LSU Vet Med.

Rocky terrain and cooling water features were, and have remained, central components of the yard. Giant leafy plants line the edges, where today Mike VII often patrols his territory.

“That’s very common for tigers in general. … In the wild, they’ll walk miles,” Guttner says.

In 2017, following the death of Mike VI and before Mike VII’s arrival on campus, TAF funded $950,000 in enhancements to the habitat, which included a comfort rock that stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

According to his care team, the rock and the pool are Mike VII’s favorite places in his home. Visitors often find him regally relaxing on the comfort rock, and he takes a dip in the water daily.

“Mike is in his pool every day,” Guttner says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 40 degrees outside; it doesn’t matter if it’s 102 degrees. Mike VI was the same way. Mike V also liked his pool.”

A door at the back of the yard allows Mike to enter his indoor quarters, which contain his climate-controlled night house, a feeding area and space for his vet and two daily caregivers.

And though Mike is never in the same room with his human team, the space allows them to form a close bond, says Baylee Weems, an LSU Vet School student and one of Mike’s caregivers.

“Every morning, whenever we get there and before we go walk his yard, he immediately lays down up against the fence and wants us to scratch his head,” Weems says. “He’s a big baby.”

Weems and her partner are responsible for inspecting and cleaning Mike’s habitat daily. They feed him every meal during their two-year stint in the program and conduct enrichment activities, like adding smells for Mike to hunt or creating holiday-themed, tiger-friendly treats. They even play games of hide-and-seek with the striped stalker through the fence.

“Our main job is to make sure that we’re addressing all the aspects of animal welfare,” Weems says. “And making sure that his life in captivity is as much as what his life in the wild would be like.” mikethetiger.com

Mike’s do’s and don’ts

• Don’t bring pets. Animal instincts will likely kick in.
• Do celebrate responsibly. Litter from the PMAC ramps can sneak into Mike’s habitat from above. Clean up when snapping those cute graduation pics.
• Don’t worry that Mike is lonely. Tigers are solitary animals in the wild. Introducing another large cat to Mike’s home would be dangerous for both animals.
• Do come by for a visit. One of the reasons LSU chose to adopt Mike VII was because of how curious he was as a cub. His caretakers say he loves human interaction.

This article was originally published in 225 Magazine’s 2025 Tiger Pride edition.