The Jungle Book Dog Names

The Jungle Book starts with Mowgli being abandoned by his parents in the jungle. Some adaptations have softened this aspect by having his parents die in the jungle or by not mentioning it at all. The baby Mowgli is then saved by the panther Bagheera, who leaves him in the care of a wolf pack. The name of the mother wolf who takes care of him sometimes changes between adaptations, but one stable force is the pack's leader, Akela. Akela is a strong father figure who would do anything for the safety of his pack. Although he initially is wary of Mowgli's presence, he eventually comes to love the man cub. 

In many of the adaptations, Akela is portrayed as a hardened but wise leader, who would sacrifice Mowgli for the good of the pack; the books portray his softer side. Since Mowgli is part of the pack, Akela is fiercely loyal and protective of his adopted man cub. He takes the time to train Mowgli and even returns from isolation to help Mowgli and his pack fight of their enemies. When facing a vicious pack of Dholes that want to see the pack exterminated, Akela does not think twice when he sacrifices himself for the good of the pack. 

As he dies, he implores Mowgli to return to human society, knowing that it is where Mowgli ultimately belongs and where he will find happiness and security. It is a clear indication of what kind of personality he had, that when he was mortally wounded, his only focus was on securing a future for Mowgli. It is sad that many of the adaptations leave this side of Akela out of the picture. He loved Mowgli deeply and would have done anything to ensure his safety. He was Mowgli's father, and in this relationship, Kipling demonstrates how strong the love between a foster parent and child can be. 

Thanks to the efforts of the pack and many other creatures in the jungle, Mowgli feels at home in a place that is usually very dangerous for humans. He grew up and developed a beautiful personality and a wisdom beyond his years. Although he had trouble adapting to human society years later, he still carried the things he learned in the jungle with him. Such as bravery, kindness, and integrity. A lot of those qualities were instilled in him by one of his caring father figures, Akela.