Origin
In the 1894 book The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Baloo was a bear that adopted the orphaned Mowgli and taught him the ways of the jungle. Together with Bagheera the panther, Baloo made sure that Mowgli grew up and was able to survive the jungle. At the end of the story, Mowgli, encouraged by Baloo, goes back to the human world.
Other versions
Grimm Fairy Tales presents The Jungle Book (Zenescope)
Living on Kipling Isle, Baloo is the last of his kind called the Bada Dar. He and Bagheera have adopted the shipwreck survivor Mowglii.