Main Jungle Book characters: Remember your childhood favourites

Main Jungle Book characters: Remember your childhood favourites

The Jungle Book franchise is one of the best children's favourites. The films are based on the collections of stories collected by British author Rudyard Kipling. The franchise is known for its vivid characters and exploration of themes like friendship, morality, and the laws of the jungle. Discover some of your favourite Jungle Book characters that were loved by many.

Jungle Book characters
Bagheera, Shere Khan, and King Louie are among the main Jungle Book characters. Photo: @michaelkutscheart, @Mowglijunglebookhindi, @Disney on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The Jungle Book has been adapted into numerous films and other media, such as the popular Disney animated film. Read on to discover the main Jungle Book character names and what makes them exceptional.

Main Jungle Book characters

There are many great characters in The Jungle Book, including both humans and talking animals. Here is a list of the Jungle Book characters loved by many worldwide.

1. Mowgli

list of Jungle Book characters
Mowgli is the main character in The Jungle Book. Photo: @JungleBookRunner on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Mowgli is among the main characters of Jungle Book. He is a young boy adopted and raised by a pack of wolves in the Indian jungle after becoming an orphan as a baby. Mowgli is a naive, innocent, happy-go-lucky child who always wants fun. Throughout the stories, he encounters friendly and dangerous creatures and has to learn how to survive the jungle's challenges.

Read also

33 most popular bald cartoon characters everyone remembers

2. Bagheera

Jungle Book names
The black Indian panther Bagheera in a forest. Photo: @Bagheera-The-Jungle-Book-2016 on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Bagheera is a sleek, black Indian panther who rescues Mowgli as an infant stuck in a broken canoe in the river. He is a wise and knowledgeable mentor who imparts valuable lessons about survival to Mowgli. The character is known for his intelligence and no-nonsense attitude.

3. Flunkey

Flunkey is an ape in The Jungle Book known for being a servant in the ancient ruins palace of King Louie of the Bandar-log. He often speaks with a posh British accent; he is also naughty and naive. Flunkey performs menial tasks for King Louie, acting as a butler and server during all the parties.

4. Shere Khan

list of Jungle Book characters
Antagonist Shere Khan. Photo: @The-jungle-book on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Shere Khan is one of the main antagonists of The Jungle Book. He is a powerful and ruthless Bengal tiger with a deep hatred for humans. Shere Khan has ruled over the jungle since its birth and is known for lacking a ruler's kindness, mercy, tolerance, or patience.

Read also

33 cutest anime cats: most popular kitties from films and shows

5. Shanti

characters in Jungle Book
The young character Shanti. Photo: @Anjalaaay on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Shanti is a young girl from the nearby human village who Mowgli falls in love with. Mowgli instantly falls in love with Shanti and agrees to follow her to the village after he hears her sing. She is known for her caring, forgiving, and loving nature.

6. Dr. Julius Plumford

Jungle Book names
Dr. Julius Plumford in a white outfit. Photo: @Disney_Wiki, @andartolo on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Dr. Julius Plumford is a kind-hearted Englishman who serves as the town doctor and surgeon in the nearby human village. The character is a good-hearted and helpful doctor who accompanies Colonel Brydon and his daughter through a tour of the Black Jungle.

7. Baloo

Jungle Book names
The Jungle Book character Baloo with a shocking look. Photo: @once.uponatimeanimation, @furryslayer01 on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Baloo is among the main characters of Jungle Book and is known for being a lazy, fun-loving, easy-going, and good-natured bear. The character encourages Mowgli to enjoy life, embrace simplicity, and not take things too seriously.

8. Buzzy, Flaps, Dizzy, Ziggy (The Vultures)

Buzzy, Flaps, Dizzy, and Ziggy appear in Disney's animated adaptation of The Jungle Book (1967). The Vultures were created as a parody of The Beatles and are known for their unending sense of humour. They consider Mowgli as their friend and dislike Shere Khan.

Read also

33 popular male Disney characters that are great role models

9. Colonel Geoffrey Brydon

list of the Jungle Book characters
Colonel Geoffrey Brydon, the father figure of Mowgli, in an army uniform. Photo: @Disney_Wiki on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Colonel Geoffrey Brydon is Mowgli's adoptive father and the head of the human village near the jungle. The British army officer is the father of Kitty Brydon and the friend of Dr. Plumford. He becomes a father figure to Mowgli and oversees his transition from jungle life to human society.

10. Raksha (Mother Wolf)

Raksha is a female Indian mother wolf who plays as Mowgli's adoptive mother. She is one of the wolf pack leaders who adopts Mowgli and is ready to defend him against threats fiercely. Her motherly instincts make her treat Mowgli as her other cubs.

11. Kaa

characters in Jungle Book
The great python Kaa in action. Photo: @lookingforlewys, @bebeshots on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Kaa is one of the famous Jungle Book names known for his hypnotic and cunning nature. He is a giant Indian python and one of the memorable secondary antagonist animal characters in the storybook.

12. Arthur and Cecil

Arthur And Cecil are among the leading Jungle Book character names. They are vultures who appear in the main cast of The Jungle Cubs animated series. The duo is best of friends and does almost everything together.

Read also

25 best short anime series you can easily watch in one sitting

13. William Boone

William Boone is the primary antagonist in the 1994 Disney live-action movie Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. He served as one of Colonel Geoffrey Brydon's most devoted soldiers in the British Army and was a proficient hunter participating in an expedition alongside the rest of the troops in India.

14. Winifred

Winifred is Colonel Hathi’s wife and the mother of Hathi Jr. She is known for being a kind elephant who cares deeply for her husband and son, Hathi Jr. The character is a part of the Elephant herd and occasionally patrols the forest daily as part of the drill set up by her husband.

15. Grey Brother

main characters of Jungle Book
Mowgli's hugging his closest wolf friend, Grey Brother (L). Photo: @jasonscottleefans on Facebook, @what.the.shrimp on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Grey Brother is one of the main Jungle Book names known by many. He is one of Mowgli's closest wolf companions in the jungle who plays a significant role in Mowgli's life. He uses his strength and protective nature to defend Mowgli from threats in the jungle.

Read also

50 of the most ugly characters from cartoons, movies and shows

16. Akela

list of the Jungle Book characters
The lone wolf Akela. Photo: @wanderlustlul, @ClassicMovieHub on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Akela is another main character in Jungle Book, often called the Lone Wolf because he is the last survivor of his original pack. He is a fair leader with a strong sense of duty to protect the pack and the jungle.

17. Tabaqui

list of Jungle Book characters
Tabaqui Jungle Book character with a bone (L). Tabaqui barking (R). Photo: @MowliAndJungle on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Tabaqui is one of the main henchmen and bandits in the team of William Boone. He is often depicted as a sly and cunning creature who scrounges for food and scraps left behind by the other jungle animals and carries messages for Shere Khan.

18. Messua

main characters of Jungle Book
Village chief's wife Messua with Kaa (R). Photo: @toongenio1 on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Messua is the wife of the village Chief and the mother of Ranjan. She is Mowgli's adoptive mother after he follows Shanti into the man-village. The character and her husband find Mowgli as a young child in the jungle and take him into their home. They believe Mowgli is their long-lost son taken by a tiger when he was young.

Read also

30+ popular characters with blue hair from movies, shows and books

19. Buldeo

Buldeo is a secondary antagonist in The Jungle Book. He is a hunter and one of the human villagers who live near the jungle. The character is often portrayed as a bad character in the stories due to his greed and antagonistic behaviour toward Mowgli and the jungle wildlife.

20. Hathi Jr.

characters in Jungle Book
Hathi Jr. is the son of Colonel Hathi. Photo: @DamnResearch on X (Twitter), @untitledartgallery on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Hathi Jr. is the son of Colonel Hathi, the leader of the elephant herd in the jungle and Winifred. He is known for his innocent and curious nature, which often contrasts with the strict behaviour of his father, Colonel Hathi.

21. Ned, Jed, Fred

Ned, Jed and Fred are baboon brothers living in Pinnacle Rock's wastelands. They terrorise anyone who enters Pinnacle Rock and behave like hooligans. Ned, Jed and Fred appear in A Night in the Wasteland and Who Wants to Be a Baboon?

Read also

100 world’s hottest male celebrities everyone has a crush on

22. Nathoo

Nathoo is depicted as a British soldier stationed in India. He and his wife Messua are the biological parents of Mowgli. Shere Khan tragically kills Nathoo as revenge for three of Nathoo's customers who killed a few animals in the jungle.

23. King Louie

list of the Jungle Book characters
The king of apes, King Louie. Photo: @Disney on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

King Louie is one of the main characters of Jungle Book, widely known as the king of apes in the Seoni jungle. He has a strong passion for music and dancing and believes that if he acquires the "secret of man's red fire”, he will become more powerful and be able to rule the jungle.

24. Bandar-Log

Bandar-Log is a pack of apes under the leadership of King Louie. They are known for lacking discipline and organisation and enjoy imitating others. Like their king, the Bandar-Log apes love to party, sing, and dance.

25. Katherine Brydon

list of the Jungle Book characters
Colonel Geoffrey's daughter, Katherine Brydon, in a white dress and hat. Photo: @lotticent on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Katherine Brydon is the daughter of Colonel Geoffrey Brydon. She is the childhood friend of Mowgli. The character is always concerned for Mowgli's welfare and safety in the jungle. Katherine and Dr. Plumford teach him how to be civilised and integrate into human society.

Read also

50 ugly cartoon characters memorable thanks to their design

26. Father Wolf (Rama)

Jungle Book character names
Mowgli's adoptive father starting up. Photo: @JustEllenIGuess, @Spellbinder249 on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Father Wolf, named Rama, is among the leading anime characters of Jungle Book. He is one of the wolf pack leaders that adopts and raises Mowgli. Rama and his mate, Raksha, become Mowgli's adoptive parents and the other wolves in the pack.

27. Peterson Sahib

Peterson Sahib is a British colonial officer stationed in India who knows more about elephants than anyone. The character encounters Mowgli when he is a grown young man, and Mowgli seeks his assistance to prevent a feud between two rival wolf packs.

28. Rocky The Rhino

Rocky The Rhino is a visually-challenged Indian rhinoceros dropped from the 1967 film The Jungle Book. He was to be pranked by the Vultures to fight Mowgli but befriends Mowgli after bashing into a rock. Rocky The Rhino appeared in The Jungle Book.

29. Ikki Sahi

Read also

30 cutest anime girls of all time from popular shows and movies

Ikki Sahi is an Indian crested porcupine and one of the friends of Mowgli. The female porcupine is friendly and helpful but loves to gossip about different people.

30. Ranjan

list of the Jungle Book characters
Shirtless Ranjan playing. Photo: @BlazerPro6 on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Ranjan is known for being curious, playful, and energetic. The character is captivated by the life and stories of Mowgli and looks up to him with adoration akin to hero worship.

31. Dholes

main characters of Jungle Book
Dholes are among the fierce predators in The Jungle Book. Photo: @obscurecreacher on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Dholes are the antagonists who appear in the animated series The Jungle Cubs. They are a pack of dogs depicted as fierce and dangerous predators of other jungle animals, including Mowgli and his animal friends.

32. Lucky

Lucky is a vulture with a Cockney accent who appeared in The Jungle Book 2. He is introduced to Shere Khan by Buzzie, Flaps, Dizzy, and Ziggy at the start of the film, and after that, makes it a point to tease Shere Khan.

Read also

Black anime characters: list of 30 best heroes of all time

33. Kotick

Kotick is a unique and distinctive seal with white fur, which sets him apart from the other seals who have brown fur. Kotick is treated differently by the seal hunters as they think he's a ghost seal because of his white fur.

34. Colonel Hathi

Jungle Book characters
Colonel Hathi is the leader of the herd. Photo: @Colonel-Hathi on Facebook, @salisbot on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Colonel Hathi is an Indian elephant who is the leader of the herd. He takes leadership responsibilities seriously and is known for his strict and disciplined approach to leading his pack. Colonel Hathi is also a loving father to his son Hathi Jr.

35. Chil

Chil is a kite known for his wise and experienced nature, often serving as a messenger between the animals of the jungle. He is a friend of Mowgli who carries messages for the wolf pack and Hathi's herd. The character stays aloof from others and is perceived to be mean and hostile.

36. Kotick

Kotick is a unique and distinctive seal with white fur, which sets him apart from the other seals who have brown fur. He prevents man from killing young seals and brings the thousands of seals from his homeland to the fabled island where humans cannot come.

Read also

20 best harem anime series fans of the genre will know and love

37. Nag and Nagaina

main characters of Jungle Book
Nag and Nagaina are among the deadly predators in The Jungle Book. Photo: @Hurstcules, @RexPaddock on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Nag and Nagaina are a pair of cobras and serve as the primary antagonists in the Rikki-Tikki-Tavi story. They want nothing more than to kill the humans so they may have a bungalow and garden for their children.

Most Jungle Book characters are often portrayed with unique personalities that set them apart from each other. If you are a fan of The Jungle Book and love watching the animated version of the classic storybooks, you most certainly have encountered these main Jungle Book characters.

Legit.ng recently posted an exciting piece about black anime characters of all time. Like other forms of media, anime has embraced inclusivity by including characters of various ethnic backgrounds, including Black characters.

Most black anime characters are considered villains, but it's not always true. These characters are depicted as heroes in anime because of their strength and aspirations. Discover some of the greatest black anime characters ever.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Brian Oroo avatar

Brian Oroo (Lifestyle writer) Brian Oroo has been working as a writer in Legit.ng since 2021. His main area of specialization is on topics regarding lifestyle, celebrities, news, and many more. He won the Writer of the Year Award on Legit in 2023. Brian graduated with a Bsc. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University (JKUAT) in 2021. In 2023, Brian finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. His email is brianoroo533@gmail.com

Tags: