Strill Strills were a species of highly intelligent , carnivorous mammals native to the planet of Mandalore in the Outer Rim . The one - meter - long , six - legged creatures , with their loose folds of leathery skin , were generally considered physically unattractive by many beings , and their uniquely pungent odor was off - putting to most male humanoids . However , a number of Mandalorians took to keeping strills — or striile in " Mando ' a " — as pets , making use of their naturally ferocious predatory instincts as hunting animals , and the long - lived creatures often became life - long companions of their Mandalorian masters . One such strill by the name of Lord Mirdalan was the constant partner of the Mandalorian soldier Walon Vau , and the two were nearly inseparable until the time of Vau ' s death , whereupon the affectionately nicknamed " Mird " was entrusted to close friend Jaing Skirata for care . Both doted upon the creature , and in return , enjoyed fierce loyalty from the strill . Strills also behaved in a maternal fashion in the presence of a pregnant female or infant , a trait owed to their hermaphroditic characteristics , and one which manifested in an innate protectiveness toward the female or youngling , and an instinct to construct a nest . Biology and appearance . Strills were a species of predatory animals indigenous to the Outer Rim world of Mandalore , measuring close to a meter in length , on average . Hermaphroditic mammals , strills were equally capable of both siring and bearing offspring with a second strill ; young strills were commonly referred to as pups . Covered in thick fur of a gold or gray - tan color , strills possessed numerous folds of loose , leathery skin that stretched all the way to its thin , whip - like tail . These skin folds could be used to form wing membranes between their six strong legs , that allowed the creatures to glide from high places and even fly short distances by flapping their legs in unison . Furthermore , strills were capable of carrying substantial loads while flying , including the weight of a full - grown Human male . Strills could live up to three or four times the span of a natural human ' s lifetime , and it was common for Mandalorian owners to entrust their beloved pets to their clan kinsmen following their deaths . Strills had gold - colored eyes , gray tongues , and sharp claws . Their wide mouths were filled with sharp fangs , perfectly adapted for a carnivorous diet and powerful enough to bite through skull bone ; they were also known for the abundant amount of saliva which they excreted . Strills could withstand significantly cold temperatures for extended periods of time , and their hearing was far more acute than a Human ' s . Aside from these features , one of the most identifiable traits of a strill was the strong , acrid stench they gave off . To male Humans , the smell was often considered repulsive , but an individual could become acclimated to the scent with continued exposure . Human females and non - humanoid species , though , did not find the strill ' s scent displeasing , contributing to its continued effectiveness as a hunter . Unfortunately , strills were susceptible to brain tumors which could , as a result of their presence , drive the animals to irrational acts of anger and aggression , even to the point of attacking their owner . Behavior and intelligence . Strills were highly intelligent creatures , capable of understanding verbal commands and intuiting the feelings of those sentients around it . They made a variety of noises , including baying while hunting , whines and moans when under stress , and squeaks and low grumbles when pleased . Strills were territorial creatures , marking the areas they claimed as their own by rubbing their saliva - covered jowls and spraying from their strong scent glands around a chosen perimeter . Domesticated strills rarely left their owners , but occasionally did roam within the boundaries of their predefined territory independently . Their hermaphroditic nature gave strills a strong maternal instinct , and they could often sense when a nearby female was pregnant . Despite their predatory ferocity , strills were extremely protective of their young and the offspring of those within its social sphere . Human infants had no need to fear a nearby strill and , in fact , strills were known to construct nests for human children just as they would for their own pups , using clothing , blankets , or any other soft materials that were readily available . Strills were skilled trackers and fierce hunters , capable of taking down prey larger than themselves , such as shatual s , with whom they shared their forest habitat . Strills could carry the carcass of their downed prey a significant distance back to their abode . The set of sharp claws located on each paw allowed a strill to climb the sides of buildings and trees , where they would wait to ambush a potential target from overhead . Once the prospective prey was within range , the strill leaped from their high perch and , using their leathery wings formed from their loose folds of skin , glided through the air , swooping down for the kill . Strills were known to enjoy milk as well as meat , and preferred to eat their own kill after a hunt , though they were not opposed to sharing the spoils with its owner and associates . Strills also hunted to acquire food for its young or any offspring it felt solicitous toward . When domesticated , strills were extremely loyal and protective of their masters and their surrounding families . History . Indigenous to the planet Mandalore , strills adapted to living and hunting in the Outer Rim world ' s veshok forests . During the course of Mandalore ' s long history , the Mandalorian people took to capturing strills , domesticating them , and keeping the creatures as pets . Their intelligence , hunting skills , and incredible loyalty were praised by their Mandalorian masters , and it was not uncommon for the long - lived animals to be passed down through a clan ' s generations . In the Mandalorian language of " Mando ' a " , the word for strill was " striil " . One strill by the name of Lord Mirdalan — often known by the affectionate nickname of Mird , or " Mird ' ika " — was the friend and pet of the Mandalorian soldier Walon Vau . Mird had been with Vau for the majority of his life leading up to the final years of the Galactic Republic , and was his near constant companion . The strill followed Vau to the aquatic world of Kamino when he was chosen by Jango Fett to be a member of the " Cuy ' val Dar " , a group of training sergeants tasked with training the Grand Army of the Republic ' s special forces clone commandos , and it was on Kamino that Mird developed an enjoyment for stalking Kaminoans within Tipoca City . On one occasion , the strill even killed a Kaminoan who was a member of the blue - eyed lower caste . When the Clone Wars broke out between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems , Mird joined Vau and a number of clone commandos in helping to bring down a Jabiimi terrorist cell responsible for a number of bomb ing attacks on Coruscant . After Vau shot and killed the terrorist leader , Mird was responsible for recovering the body and the criminal files held with it . In the second year of the Clone Wars , Vau raided the Dressian Kiolsh Merchant Bank on the InterGalactic Banking Clan world of Mygeeto , in order to steal the inheritance his estranged mother and father had denied him when he left home to join the Mandalorians . During the course of his escape from the bank , Vau fell through the Mygeetan ice ; Mird refused to abandon its master and attempted to keep Vau warm with its own body until rescue arrived in the form of fellow " Cuy ' val Dar " member Kal Skirata , who extracted the strill and its master to safety . Etain Tur - Mukan , whom Skirata would later adopt , had her son Venku later that year , and Mird subsequently became very protective of the child . He also built nests for the baby on a number of occasions , collecting sheets and clothing from its human companions in order to do so . The strill later became a resident of Skirata ' s clan home on Mandalore , Kyrimorut , marking the land around the farm and homestead as its own , and preferred to spend its time hunting or simply laying about , basking in the attention of its master and the other residents of Kyrimorut . As of the year 40 ABY , strills had become a rare sight on Mandalore , to the point which they were thought to be nearly extinct . By that time , Lord Mirdalan had entered into the possession of Kal Skirata ' s adopted son , Jaing Skirata , entrusted to him upon the death of his former master , Vau . Mird continued to act as Skirata ' s partner in his exploits as a bounty hunter , and in 41 ABY , the two attended a feast in honor of the wedding of Ghes Orade and Mirta Gev held in Mandalore ' s capital city , Keldabe . During this time , the " Oyu ' baat " hotel and tapcaf in Keldabe displayed a sign over the front door in which the words " No Strills Inside " was inscribed in both " Mando ' a " and Basic . However , bar patron Baltan Carid jovially suggested on one occasion that a strill was , in fact , the resident of the " Oyu ' baat " executive suite , and would need to be kicked out before the room could be rented to anyone else . At some point in time , another strill had been kept by a friend of the former Jedi - turned - Mandalorian by the name of Gotab . The strill was beloved by its owner , but the creature eventually developed a malignant brain tumor that drove it to irrational acts of aggression . After the strill attacked several people — including both Gotab and it ' s owner — the decision was made to euthanize the animal in order to end its suffering and bring an end to the strill ' s unintended violence . Behind the scenes . The strill was first introduced to the " Star Wars " universe via a mention in the 2004 novel , " " , by author Karen Traviss . The initial vague reference to an animal adept at hunting and tracking would later be fully realized in the novel ' s sequel , " " , where the strill known as Lord Mirdalan made its debut . Lord Mirdalan went on to become a recurring character in Traviss ' " Republic " and " Imperial Commando " series , featuring in the subsequent " " , " " , and " " novels . To date , Lord Mirdalan has been the most prominently featured strill in the " Star Wars " universe . The species received its first official visual depiction in the form of a sketch of Lord Mirdalan , created by artist Shea Standefer for fifth series of Topps ' " Star Wars Galaxy " trading card game . Another image of a strill was later included in the 2010 " Star Wars " RPG supplement book , " The Unknown Regions " , published by Wizards of the Coast .