Aiwha / Legends Aiwha ( ) were flying cetacean creatures that lived on the planets Kamino and Naboo . They could use their wing - fins to either propel themselves through water or to soar through the skies . Kaminoans were derogatorily referred to as " aiwha - bait " by various clones of Jango Fett , bred at a cloning facility on the planet . Characteristics . Majestic cetaceans that could take to the air , aiwhas could be found in the churning oceans of the planet Kamino , where they had been domesticated as mounts by the native Kaminoans . The creatures were strong swimmers , able to launch themselves from the cresting waves and then continue their momentum in flight . Aiwhas and similar creatures could be found on several worlds , including the planet Naboo . There , they lived in medium - size " pods , " feeding on surface - dwelling krill and the fish ( like daggerts and rays ) found in the huge Naboo lakes . Like other cetaceans , aiwhas filtered food through the sieve - plates in their baleen . The Gungans of Naboo had domesticated aiwhas to accept mounts and provide airborne transportation . Gungans also used the aiwhas as war mounts , using them as reconnaissance and bombers . Aiwhas employed a water - vascular system that allowed them to control their relative density . When they needed to swim underwater , their spongy tissues absorbed water . When flight was required , they expelled this water and shed it to lighten themselves . While some believed the aiwhas on Kamino to have been imported from Naboo , others speculated that this particular breed was entirely the result of cloning technology . Aiwhas were sold by the Rothana Heavy Engineering company to be used as mounts for Imperial troops , who used them on worlds that had a breathable atmosphere , and could be used for performing reconnaissance over 5 , 000 meters overhead , or to traverse between two Imperial outposts without any concern for the trail or terrain . A standard animal cost 45000 credits at a starting price , and larger , cargo hauling breeds were available under the premium pricing model . Behind the scenes . The word " aiwha " is a deliberate corruption of " air whale " . They are also called Air Whales in the " " game manual . The aiwhas have existed , in one form or another , for over thirty years , but they ' ve only recently been incorporated into a Star Wars movie . Concept illustrator Ralph McQuarrie drew flying to populate Bespin in " The Empire Strikes Back " , but they were a casualty of budget and effects limitations . They resurfaced as transports on the planet Sicemon in " Return of the Jedi " , but were ultimately replaced with the more practical sail barge and skiffs when the world didn ' t appear in the final film . For " The Phantom Menace " , the aiwhas returned as Gungan mounts , but were again dropped from the finished film . For " " , they were also to be possible mounts for the Geonosians before finally finding a home on Kamino . The aiwha bears a striking similarity to the thrantas of Alderaan , and the Neebrays of Rugosa and the Balmorra Run , but the three species share no known in - universe relation , or at least none that have been proven .