The LSU Student Senate unanimously passes a resolution urging the university never to have a live tiger brought into Tiger Stadium before a football game again.
For the Alabama game, Governor Landry procured a tiger from Florida to bring back a tradition of having a live tiger on the field for pregame festivities, which ended several years ago.
Speaker Pro Tempore Ethan Elmer, a junior majoring in computer science, says the resolution, which he authored, also goes a step further.
“It also asks that we don’t try to use this moment as an advertisement for the university,” says Elmer.
Elmer says he’s disappointed that LSU caved in to Gov. Landry’s desires.
“There’s a lot of ethical concerns regarding bringing a predatory wild animal into Tiger Stadium with 100,000 people all screaming,” Elmer says. “There are a lot of sensory and stress issues related to that.”
Another LSU student sharing those views is Ariana Tashakkori, a senior majoring in natural resources ecology and management and a member of the school’s chapter of the Wildlife Society.
“We go to class every day, and we learn how LSU champions animal welfare and how that should be our priority,” says Tashakkori. “And our entire majors are to learn how to protect and conserve these species. And so for LSU to — whether or not it was their direct choice — allow for this to happen was just shocking and shameful.”
Tashakkori says she was caught off guard when news broke earlier this month that a live tiger was being brought in from Florida to take the field before the game against Alabama, which LSU ultimately lost, 42-13.
“It was not something that we thought LSU would go back on after making a decision that promoted the welfare of our mascot species,” says Tashakkori.
Tashakkori says she was disheartened to see LSU cave in to Landry after previously telling him no.
“To my understanding, it was more that they did not want to speak up, given the governor’s impact on our university and his involvement with LSU,” Tashakkori reasoned.
Once signed, the resolution will be sent to University President William Tate, Athletic Director Scott Woodward, Landry and others.
Another senior in natural resources ecology and management, Donna Long, says she would be shocked if university leadership even acknowledged the students’ concerns.
“LSU has been very quiet about this whole situation,” says Long. “I don’t know if it’s because they really didn’t have a say because it was more the governor’s move or what, but they’ve been very tight-lipped about it.”
At this time, it’s unclear whether the Florida tiger, named Omar Bradley, is still in Louisiana or whether he or another tiger will be brought onto the field before the start of one of the two remaining home games of the season.
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