Mowgli’s parents were killed by the tiger Shere Khan when he was a baby.
In Rudyard Kipling’s original collection of stories, “The Jungle Book,” the details surrounding the fate of Mowgli’s parents are not explicitly outlined. However, it is generally understood that Mowgli, as an infant, was separated from his human parents after Shere Khan attacked them. The specifics of their death are not described in detail in the text, but it is implied that they were unable to survive the encounter with the tiger.
After the attack, Mowgli is found by the panther Bagheera who takes him to a pack of wolves. The wolves, led by Akela, decide to adopt Mowgli and raise him as one of their own, with the she-wolf Raksha becoming his foster mother. Mowgli grows up in the jungle, learning the ways of the animals and the Law of the Jungle, under the tutelage of Bagheera and the bear Baloo.
Throughout the stories, Mowgli’s origin is a backdrop to his adventures and his struggle to find his place in both the jungle and the human world. The loss of his parents sets the stage for his unique upbringing among the animals and his eventual confrontation with Shere Khan, who continues to hold a grudge against him.
