In The Jungle Book, what kind of animal is Shere Khan?

Shere Khan is a tiger in The Jungle Book.

Shere Khan is the principal predator and antagonist of the Mowgli stories. He objects to a human child living among the wolves and argues that Mowgli will eventually become a danger to the jungle. His authority is strengthened by his reputation, but he is also portrayed as arrogant and dependent on intimidation.

The tiger’s name is commonly translated as “King Tiger” or understood as an honorific title combining “Shere,” a form related to tiger, with “Khan.” Kipling’s stories use the title to emphasize the character’s self-image and status among the animals.

Adaptations differ in how they portray him. Disney’s 1967 film presents Shere Khan as elegant, controlled, and voiced by George Sanders. The 2016 film, directed by Jon Favreau, gives him a more openly threatening interpretation voiced by Idris Elba. In every major version, he remains a tiger opposed to Mowgli’s presence.