Baloo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Baloo
The Jungle Book character
Baloo in the 1895 edition of The Second Jungle Book
First appearance	"Mowgli's Brothers"
Last appearance	The spring Running
Created by	Rudyard Kipling
Information
Species	Brown bear/Sloth bear
Gender	Male

Baloo (which means "bear" in Hindi) is a famous character from Rudyard Kipling's books, The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895). He is a sloth bear and acts as a strict teacher for the young wolf cubs in the Seeonee wolf pack. His most challenging student is Mowgli, a human boy. Baloo, along with Bagheera, a panther, helps to save Mowgli from Shere Khan the tiger. They also work hard to teach Mowgli the important rules of the jungle, known as the Law of the Jungle.

What Kind of Bear is Baloo?

Kipling described Baloo as "the sleepy brown bear." However, experts believe he is mostly like a sloth bear. This is because sloth bears live in the Seoni area where the stories take place. Also, the word "sloth" can mean slow or sleepy, which fits Baloo's personality.

Sloth bears mainly eat termites and ants, but they also love honey and fruits. Baloo's diet in the books includes "roots and nuts and honey."

Different movies and shows have shown Baloo as various types of bears:

• In the 1967 Walt Disney movie, he is a Sloth bear.
• The Russian version shows him as an Asian black bear.
• The 1994 Disney movie used a Cinnamon bear.
• The 2016 Disney movie says he is a sloth bear, but he looks like a Himalayan brown bear.

How to Say His Name

Rudyard Kipling himself said that Baloo's name should be pronounced BAR-loo, with the accent on the "bar" part.

Baloo in Movies and TV Shows

Disney Versions

Baloo has appeared in many Disney productions. He first appeared in the 1967 animated film, The Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book (1967 film)

In this movie, Baloo (voiced by Phil Harris) is a friendly and relaxed bear. He is one of Mowgli's teachers and friends. Baloo is strong and patient, but he is also ticklish!

At first, Baloo wants to raise Mowgli in the jungle. But Bagheera explains that Mowgli is not safe from Shere Khan. Baloo agrees to tell Mowgli that he must go to the Man Village. Mowgli gets upset and runs away. Baloo and Bagheera search for him.

Later, Baloo helps Mowgli fight Shere Khan. After Mowgli decides to live in the village with a girl named Shanti, Baloo is a little sad. But he is also happy that Mowgli is safe. He and Bagheera then sing "The Bare Necessities" as they return to the jungle.

The Jungle Book 2 (2003 film)

Baloo returns in the 2003 sequel, The Jungle Book 2, voiced by John Goodman. He misses Mowgli and sneaks into the Man Village to visit him. Baloo takes Mowgli back into the jungle. This makes Shanti and other villagers go looking for Mowgli.

Baloo and Shanti do not get along at first. But they realize they both want to save Mowgli from Shere Khan. After they trap Shere Khan, Baloo understands that Mowgli belongs in the village. However, Mowgli, Shanti, and Ranjan get permission to visit the jungle often. The movie ends with them singing "The Bare Necessities" together.

Baloo became very popular because of the song "The Bare Necessities." In the song, he teaches Mowgli how to enjoy life and find what he needs in nature.

TaleSpin (1990-1991)

In the 1990 TV show TaleSpin, Baloo (voiced by Ed Gilbert) is the main character. He wears a pilot's cap and a yellow shirt. He has human-like hands instead of claws. He is still easy-going and a bit lazy, but he is an excellent pilot. He flies a cargo plane called the Sea Duck. He often calls his young friend, Kit Cloudkicker, "Little Breeches," just like he called Mowgli.

1994 Live-Action Film

In the 1994 Disney live-action movie, Baloo does not speak. He is played by an American black bear named Casey. Mowgli meets Baloo as a cub and frees him from a log. They become good friends. Later, Baloo is shot by soldiers but Mowgli finds a doctor to save him. At the end, Baloo is shown to be recovering well.

Jungle Cubs (1996-1998)

In the 1996 TV show Jungle Cubs, Baloo (voiced by Pamela Adlon) is a kind and friendly cub. He enjoys playing with his friends, especially Louie. He sometimes plays tricks on Bagheera to make him less serious.

The Jungle Book (2016 film)

In the 2016 Disney live-action movie, Baloo is voiced by Bill Murray. He looks like a brown bear, even though Bagheera calls him a sloth bear.

Baloo first saves Mowgli from the python Kaa. He then asks Mowgli to help him gather honey. Baloo and Mowgli become very close friends. Baloo eventually agrees with Bagheera that Mowgli should go to the Man-village to be safe from Shere Khan. He even pretends they were never friends to make Mowgli leave.

However, monkeys kidnap Mowgli. Baloo and Bagheera rescue him. When Mowgli learns that Shere Khan killed Akela, he decides to face the tiger. Baloo and Bagheera help Mowgli distract Shere Khan. Mowgli then sets a trap that defeats Shere Khan. After this, Mowgli finds his true home in the jungle with Baloo and Bagheera.

Other Versions

Japanese Anime (1989)

In the 1989 Japanese anime series Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli, Baloo is shown as a strict teacher to Mowgli. He is a sloth bear. In one episode, it is revealed that Baloo's serious nature comes from losing his mother and sibling to a pack of Dholes.

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018 film)

In the 2018 live-action movie Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Baloo is voiced by Andy Serkis. He acts like a tough drill sergeant, pushing Mowgli to learn the jungle rules. He tells Mowgli not to interact with the monkeys.

Baloo and Bagheera argue about how to teach Mowgli. Baloo feels Bagheera betrayed Mowgli by making him fail a test. They stop fighting when Mowgli's friend Bhoot tells them Mowgli has been taken by monkeys. Baloo and Bagheera rescue Mowgli with Kaa's help. Baloo is sad when Mowgli has to leave the wolf pack. In the end, Baloo watches Mowgli defeat Shere Khan.

See also

In Spanish: Baloo para niños