Life of Pi tiger 'nearly drowned' while on set

The tiger in Oscar-winning film Life of Pi almost drowned while on set, the Hollywood Reporter claims.

Bengal tiger 'Richard Parker' shares a lifeboat with a boy lost at sea in the hit film and although some of the scenes were digitally created, an animal called King was brought in for certain parts of the movie.

The magazine alleges that a production executive on the film and a monitor from the American Humane Association (AHA) - who grant the "No Animals Were Harmed" trademark - had a close relationship.

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An email printed by the Hollywood reporter supposedly from AHA's Gina Johnson to a colleague says: "Last week we almost f***ing killed King in the water tank.

"This one take with him just went really bad and he got lost trying to swim to the side. Damn near drowned."

"I think this goes without saying but DON'T MENTION IT TO ANYONE, ESPECIALLY THE OFFICE! I have down-played the f*** out of it," she allegedly added.

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It was Ms Johnson's job to monitor the welfare of the animals used during filming in Taiwan.

The tiger's trainer reportedly saved King by catching him with a rope, pulling him to the side of the tank where he managed to escape to safety.

Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, won four Oscars and made £375 million.