Southern University, known asthe only Historically Black College or University to have a live mascot, mayhave lost that title with the recent death of its fifteen-year-old jaguarmascot, Lacumba. It is believed that old age was a factor in her death.
According to Dale Flowers, chiefof the Southern University Police Department, on Tuesday, Dec. 27, a visitorfound Lacumba in her habitat not moving.
“A visitor of the campus came tothe police station and advised that Lacumba was not moving,” Flowers said.
“He wasn’t sure if Lacumba wasdead or not, but an officer went over and confirmed that she was.”
However, according to John Ned,Lacumba’s primary caretaker, the jaguar was found dead by Jayson Dogan,Lacumba’s student caretaker.
“Jayson was going in to clean upthe cage and fed Lacumba like normal and that’s when he found her,” Ned said.
According to Dogan, a visitorseeing Lacumba at that time would have been unlikely.
“It would be impossible for avisitor to have seen Lacumba at the time because when we are out of class it isimpossible for visitors to pass the Villa (apartment complex located in thefront of campus), because if you do you are challenged by an officer,” Dogansaid.
Rumors have surfaced thatLacumba’s death was due to malnutrition and improper care, but universityofficials believe it was due to natural causes.
“The DIGEST came to the cage,and I asked them to do a story (The Southern Digest, Nov. 9, 2004) because Iwanted all the rumors to be dispelled,” Dogan said. “Taking care of Lacumba is a seven-day-a-week job for me –actually it’s a privilege — for me, it’s my major and my job, and it’s like aslap in the face to hear about all the rumors.” Dogan said.
Ned shared Dogan’s feelings thatthe rumors were ridiculous.
“Lacumba was treated better thansome people,” Ned said.
The average life span of ajaguar is 15 to 20 years; however, it is shorter when they live in thewild. Lacumba died at the age of15.
In order to determine the exactcause of death, a necropsy, the term used to refer to an autopsy when it isconducted on animals, was performed on Lacumba at the Louisiana StateUniversity School of Veterinary Medicine.
In a Dec. 31 article in NewOrleans’ Times-Picayune, Dr. Gordon Pirie, the jaguar’s veterinarian, statedthe facility found that Lacumba died of kidney failure.
Toxicology reports performed onLacumba will not be released until later in the week.
