The film is based on Rudyard Kipling's book of the same name.

Bagheera found Mowgli in the jungle and took him to be raised by a family of wolves.

Mowgli is commonly referred to as "man-cub" by the other characters.

When Mowgli and Bagheera take shelter in a tree for the night, Kaa, a hungry Indian python, tries to devour Mowgli.

Baloo's trademark song, "The Bare Necessities", was actually written for the original draft of the film. When Disney overhauled the project, all the original songs were cut, and the Sherman Brothers were brought on to write new songs. But the filmmakers loved "The Bare Necessities" and pleaded to have it remain in the film.

Man's gun and fire are the only things Shere Khan fears, and consequently, he feels the urge to kill humans whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Unlike the majority of the characters in the film, Louie, the orangutan leader of the other jungle primates, was not featured in Rudyard Kipling's original book, as orangutans are not native to India in real life.

Winifred the elephant is the only female animal to have dialogue throughout the entire film. Although Raksha (Mowgli's adoptive mother) briefly appears at the beginning, she never actually speaks.

Louie attempts to gain knowledge of fire from Mowgli in order to become more human.

Baloo dresses as a female orangutan and dances with Louie.