Auburn is retiring a mascot that has been a fixture at the school's football games since 2004. A 20-year-old golden eagle named Nova will be retiring due to heart disease.
Nova's condition doesn't allow her to fly at the football games. According to an announcement from the school, another golden eagle named Aurea will take Nova's place and become War Eagle VIII.
The school is planning to conduct a ceremony to pass the torch during Saturday's game against Samford. Nova hasn't taken to the air since 2017 when she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.
Aurea is 5 years old with a wingspan that exceeds 6.5 feet.
"Her flight stamina isn't quite good enough for her to be released into the wild, but it doesn't affect her flying in the stadium because she's not chasing a live animal," said Andrew Hopkins, assistant director of raptor training and education at Auburn.
Nova has participated in 58 flights prior to Tiger home games since debuting in 2004 and Auburn went 44-14 in those contests.
Nova certainly served her fair share of time for Auburn and the program even won a national title in 2010 when Cam Newton led the team to prominence.
