This is a list of notable characters from Dora the Explorer.
Main[]
Dora Márquez[]
Dora Márquez is the main character and hostess of the series. She is an adorable, sweet, young and tomboyish 7-year-old Latina heroine who embarks on a trip in every episode in order to find something or help somebody.
Boots[]
Boots is the co-host of the series. Dora met Boots one day in the forest, and he is her best friend. He is friendly and enthusiastic, and usually wears his beloved red boots, hence his name. He is a monkey that is light blue with a yellow stomach and yellow tipped tail. His parents look similar, with variations in eyes, height, clothing, and fur. Boots is present with Dora on most of her adventures, and he helps Dora to solve clues and puzzles. He also loves baseball and is on a team with Dora as shown in one episode. He loves to ride Rojo the Fire Truck.
Backpack and Map[]
Backpack is a friend and special helper to Dora who helps her on nearly all of Dora's adventures. Just like Dora, Backpack can speak both Spanish and English. Backpack is a real go-getter with a can-do spirit. As Backpack says in her signature song, "Anything that you might need, I've got inside for you." From binoculars to sticky tape, Backpack is loaded up with everything Dora might need for her adventure, though it is up to the viewer to pick out the item that will solve the problem at hand. Just like Map, she opens her own segment (the helping segment).
Map is a main character who appears on Dora the Explorer. He is Dora's special helper and is there to help Dora and Boots figure out how to get to their main place. Map is in every episode of the show. He knows exactly where everything is.
Swiper[]
Swiper is the main antagonist in Dora the Explorer and appears in nearly every single episode. He is a sneaky orange fox. As his name implies, Swiper steals or attempts to steal key items that help Dora on her adventures. Clever as he is, Swiper never manages to take Dora completely by surprise; an ominous "whisking" sound is always audible just prior to his appearances.
Tico[]
Tico is a Dora the Explorer character. He is a 4-year-old Spanish-speaking squirrel and a loyal good friend to Dora and Boots. While Tico is young and playful, he can always also be brave and heroic. Since Tico can operate any vehicle - anything from a bicycle-powered plane to a Super Spy Boat-Car - he has been known to save the day in a crisis. He is often found driving in his little yellow car or in his tree at the Nutty Forest. Tico has purple fur, white eyes with black pupils, a pink nose and a bushy tail. He wears a colorful striped vest consisting of the colors orange, magenta, dark violet, lime and blue.
Benny[]
Benny is a Dora the Explorer character. He is a lovable 6-year-old blue bull with a big heart. He is a loyal buddy to the rest of the gang. Benny speaks English and lives with his grandma in Benny's Barn. Benny is also a bit accident-prone. He once got stuck in a wall and his loud hiccups are famous. But Benny can always count on the viewer to get him out of a scrape.
Isa[]
Isa is a Dora the Explorer character. She is a smart 6-year-old iguana who is very cool and quite mature. She makes her way through the forest slowly and thoughtfully. Always a step ahead of the game, she is ready to provide essential information that Dora and Boots need to complete their journey. Isa is mostly green. She has white eyes with black pupils and light-green spikes along her back and tail. She also loves gardening. She is voiced by Ashley Fleming (seasons 1-4), Lenique Vincent (seasons 5-7) and Skai Jackson (season 8).
Big Red Chicken[]
Big Red Chicken is a huge red bird. He had once been an extremely small chicken living on a hill, but after wishing upon the stars of a constellation in the shape of a chicken, he became larger than a house. Dora and Boots first heard about him when they read a storybook that told his tale; they set out in search of him afterwards, and became good friends. Big Red Chicken's feathers are mostly scarlet. His comb is dark red, and his beak and legs are yellow. He is voiced by the series' co-creator, Chris Gifford.
Grumpy Old Troll[]
The Grumpy Old Troll is a yellow creature living under a blue bridge, which Dora and Boots often come across. When someone tries to cross his bridge, He tells them that they must solve a riddle in order to proceed. The Grumpy Old Troll is mostly yellow with an orange beard and two little pupils in his eyes.
The Fiesta Trio[]
The Fiesta Trio are three small creatures. Whenever Dora and Boots are successful in a given portion of their quest (quests are usually divided into three portions), the Fiesta Trio appears from seemingly nowhere to congratulate Dora and Boots with their 8-note fanfare and celebrate.
Recurring[]
Señor Tucán[]
Señor Tucán is one of Dora's good friends. He is a toucan who only speaks Spanish. He is voiced by Leslie Valdes (the husband of the series' co-creator, Valerie Walsh Valdes). Señor Tucán was originally slated to be one of the main characters and appeared in most of the series' early promotional art. His prominence, however, decreased as the show continued.
Mami and Papi Márquez[]
Mami Márquez (also called Mrs. Márquez or Señora Márquez) is Dora's mother who has appeared in several episodes of Dora the Explorer. She is a baker and mother of her three children. She is Papi's wife. She gave birth to Dora and her twin siblings Guillermo and Isabella. She was voiced by Eileen Galindo in seasons 1-3, and was voiced by Socorro Santiago from seasons 4-8.
Papi Márquez is the father of Dora, Guillermo and Isabella. His wife is Mami. He and his wife appeared in several episodes of Dora the Explorer.
Guillermo and Isabella Márquez[]
Guillermo and Isabella Márquez are Dora's brother and sister. They debuted in the season 4 episode "Big Sister Dora," but were unnamed until the season 5 episode "Dora's Jack-in-the-Box."
Diego Márquez[]
Diego Márquez is a cousin of Dora. He first appeared in the season 3 episode "Meet Diego!" and became a recurring character in the series afterwards. He is an 8-year-old boy who speaks English and Spanish as well as the language of animals and rescues those that are in trouble. Along with his older sister, Alicia, he discovers the wildlife.
Baby Jaguar[]
Baby Jaguar is a young jaguar who is a friend of Diego. Baby Jaguar met Diego when he came to his aid in the episode "Meet Diego!". He is bold, daring, and always ready to help.
Perrito[]
Perrito is Dora's pet puppy who first appeared in the season 4 episode "Dora's Got a Puppy." He is brave, playful, and has also assisted Dora on some of her adventures. Perrito is mostly light brown with a white muzzle and a black nose.
Pirate Pig[]
Pirate Pig is a recurring character who has appeared in several episodes of Dora the Explorer. He and his crewmates, the Pirate Piggies, have helped Dora on many of her adventures. As his name suggests, Pirate Pig is a pig who is pink, wears a red pirate captain's hat and a red vest, and has a brown peg leg on his left leg.