BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana State University officially has a new live tiger mascot on its campus. The tiger arrived in Baton Rouge last week, coming from a rescue facility in Okeechobee, Florida.

LSU mascot Mike VI, a Bengal/Siberian mixed tiger, is displayed on the field before the Florida Gators take on the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on Oct. 6, 2007, in Baton Rouge. (Doug Benc/Getty ...

Since 1936, LSU has had seven live tigers act as the school’s mascot. Most lived in cramped conditions of less than 2,000 square feet and were paraded around the football stadium on game days.

The LSU mascot program featuring Mike the Tiger, has been a beloved tradition for 87 years. The current tiger, Mike VII, continues to carry on this iconic legacy.