Bantha

Banthas are large, shaggy-furred quadrupeds with bright, inquisitive eyes. A pair of long, spiraling horns grow from the skull of the male. On the desert world of Tatooine, banthas are used as beasts of burden by moisture farmers, and as loyal pack animals by the savage Tusken Raiders.

Banthas are found throughout the galaxy -- a miraculous mystery that has yet to be explained. This intriguing distribution has warranted the growth of a religion centered on the bantha -- the Dim-U monks worship the enigma of this proud animal.

Banthas are easily domesticated. They are used as beasts of burden throughout the galaxy. Bantha meat and milk are common food items, and bantha-hide boots, jackets and other wares are quite popular.

Bantha physiology ranges as different races have adapted to different environments. While normally docile, feral banthas, like those found on Talasea, are quite dangerous. Some bantha races can grow to prodigious heights -- some as large as five meters tall. While all banthas are herbivores, their sharp horns and trampling feet can pose a danger if the beasts are startled or agitated.

For A New Hope, an Asian elephant named Mardji played the bantha. The trained elephant from Marine World Africa, USA was transported to Northern California and dressed in layers of fur and a headpiece of two lightweight horns. Despite her training, Mardji was not comfortable underneath the bantha disguise, and often tried to remove the wardrobe as cameras rolled. For its brief appearance in The Phantom Menace, the bantha was computer-generated.