Pets and Animals: Mike VI - a quiet accession; but no coronation?

According to sporadic, low-key, inside-page news reports, and a brief glimpse of the cat in his quarters on local TV yesterday, LSU has quietly replaced the late Mike V with Mike VI (a handsome, 2-year-old, male tiger, formerly known as 'Roscoe') as the University's football mascot.

The current lack of headline coverage or fanfare surrounding this accession is arguably due to there having been opposition on the part of animal welfare activists to continuing the tradition of keeping captive wild animals as sports mascots. LSU was clearly determined to continue the tradition for another 20 years or so (the life expectancy of a captive tiger)

From all accounts, the LSU Tigers' 'Mike' now has nice, spacious quarters on which no expense has been spared, with a
simulated roaming habitat and even a pool (for, rarely among cats, tigers like to plunge and play in water). But animal cruelty activists are reportedly concened that it is nevertheless inhumane and stressful for the noble mammal, aloof and solitary by nature, to be paraded in a cage before thousands of cheering football fans; and to have his cage banged on in order to "make him roar".

Both sides of the argument have their advocates and perhaps some merit. 'Mike', born in captivity, cannot be "returned to the wild"; and will be loved in a way by many - and better cared for than most of the estimated thousands of tigers in captivity - for the rest of his life (which will probably be longer than most tigers live in the wild, where it can be no fun dying as an old, sick, or disabled tiger).

But will his captive existence as a football mascot be needlessly stressful and undignified; and therefore inhumane? What say you, Forum?