The Guardian:

Welcome to the jungle … King the tiger as Richard Parker, with Suraj Sharma as Pi, in Ang Lee's Life of Pi. Photograph: Twentieth Century Fox/Everett/Rex Features

The Bengal tiger used in the Oscar-winning film Life of Pi almost drowned on set in an incident subsequently covered up by the US body charged with ensuring animal safety in Hollywood, according to a new report.

An American Humane Association (AHA) official revealed the near-disaster in an email leaked as part of an extensive Hollywood Reporter investigation into the film industry's treatment of animals.

"Last week we almost fucking killed King in the water tank," wrote monitor Gina Johnson. "This one take with him went really bad and he got lost trying to swim to the side. Damn near drowned." She added: "I think this goes without saying but don't mention it to anyone, especially the office! I have downplayed the fuck out of it."

Johnson's email raises concerns because the AHA is the organisation charged with issuing the coveted "no animals were harmed in the making of this picture" stamp that adorns most Hollywood films. The Hollywood Reporter's investigation alleges officials are too close to the film industry they are supposed to be vetting, and that the label is often unfairly awarded...

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