pi patel is an unusual boy. he was the son of a zookeeper. when pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from india to north america aboard a japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. the ship sinks. pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and richard parker, a 450-pound bengal tiger. soon the tiger has dispatched all but pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with richard parker for 227 days lost at sea. when they finally reach the coast of mexico, richard parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again.