A human boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. He is bright and energetic but stubborn, refusing to return to the man-village despite the urging of his guardian, Bagheera the black panther. He befriends Baloo the bear during his journey.

A black panther who serves as Mowgli's guardian. He found the infant Mowgli crying in the jungle and brought him to the wolves. He is a calm judge of character who prioritizes Mowgli's happiness above all else.

A jolly bear living in the jungle whose motto is to live a carefree life. He takes a liking to Mowgli and invites him to live in the jungle as a bear. Bagheera views him as a clumsy scatterbrain.

A tiger feared throughout the jungle. He is ruthless and hates humans. He plans to kill Mowgli while he is still a child, fearing he will become a threat to the jungle once grown.

The king of the monkeys. He longs to be human and believes that obtaining fire is the key. He pressures Mowgli to teach him the secret of making fire.

A giant snake and master of hypnosis. He tries to hypnotize Mowgli and wrap him in his coils to eat him.

A male Asian elephant who leads the elephant patrol. He is very stubborn and rigid. Though initially refusing to help search for Mowgli, he eventually gives in to his family's pleas and organizes a search party. He is a strict but forgetful leader.

The son of Colonel Hathi and Winifred. He is a bright, energetic, and curious elephant calf.

Colonel Hathi's wife and Hathi Jr.'s mother. She is sharp-witted but caring.

The elder of the wolf pack that raised Mowgli. He made the difficult decision to send Mowgli back to the man-village for his own safety.