# Kala — Tarzan of the Apes character guide

> Kala in Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** V The White Ape Tenderly Kala

**First appearance:** 0006-v-the-white-ape

## Snapshot

The she-ape who claimed an orphaned white infant as her own and defied her husband, her king, and the whole tribe to raise him as a son.

## Who they are

Kala is Tarzan's ape mother, a fine young female who found the infant Lord Greystoke and refused every demand to abandon him. Against her husband Tublat's insistence that the slow, hairless child is a burden, and against Kerchak's authority, she threatens to leave the tribe rather than give him up. Her fierce, unshakable devotion gives Tarzan the only family he knows and the safety in which his extraordinary mind and body can develop — and her patient care is the reason the jungle ever has a Tarzan at all.

## Relationships

### [Tarzan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters/tarzan)

_family_

Kala is Tarzan's adoptive ape mother, who rescues him as an infant and raises him with deep love and protection.

### [Kerchak](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters/kerchak)

_family_

Kala and Kerchak are mates in the ape tribe, though Kerchak is harsh and Kala often defies him to protect Tarzan.

### [Tarzan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters/tarzan)

_family_

Kala is Tarzan's adoptive ape mother, who rescues him as an infant and raises him with deep love and protection.

## In the story

### [Tarzan of the Apes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/tarzan-of-the-apes)

The ape who adopts the infant Tarzan after his parents die.

### [IV: The Apes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/iv-the-apes)

Ape mother who loses her own child and adopts the human infant.

### [V: The White Ape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/v-the-white-ape)

Tenderly nurses and protects Tarzan, defending him from Tublat and Kerchak's demands to abandon him; threatens to leave the tribe to keep him.

### [VI: Jungle Battles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/vi-jungle-battles)

Devotedly nurses Tarzan back to health after his battle with the gorilla.

### [VII: The Light of Knowledge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/vii-the-light-of-knowledge)

Tarzan's foster mother; pursued by Tublat during the Dum-Dum, but saved by Tarzan.

### [VIII: The Treetop Hunter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/viii-the-treetop-hunter)

Dances for joy and pride after Tarzan recounts his adventure.

### [Man and Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/ix-man-and-man)

Killed by Kulonga; Tarzan mourns her deeply.

### [XI: King of the Apes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xi-king-of-the-apes)

Mentioned as part of the tribe; Tarzan returns to the tribe of Kerchak.

### [XII: Man's Reason](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xii-man-s-reason)

Mentioned as Tarzan's deceased adoptive mother; her absence leaves Tarzan without a close companion.

### [XX: Heredity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xx-heredity)

Mentioned as Tarzan's adoptive mother who comforted him when he was frightened.

### [The Outpost of the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/xxv-the-outpost-of-the-world)

Tarzan recalls her as his ape mother; her inability to plan ahead is contrasted with human reasoning.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters/kala
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/characters