kaadu

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Naboo

• Size:
  2.24 meters tall

• Diet:
  Herbivore

• 

From the Movies

Marching from mist-filled swamps to challenge the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo came the Gungan Grand Army, with militiagungs riding atop their faithful kaadu. Like the cavaliers of countless primitive armies, the Gungan soldiers have a special bond with their loyal mounts. At times of peace, the Gungans use the kaadu as patrol animals, policing their city streets.

Kaadu are swift-footed scaly-skinned wingless avians with strong legs and smooth bodies. Like their Gungan masters, they have duck-billed snouts, colorful skin and aquatic ancestry. During the Battle of Naboo, Gungan generals like Jar Jar Binks commanded their troops from atop kaadu, using the animal's speed to avoid the Trade Federation battle tanks.

From the Expanded Universe

The Gungans long ago domesticated the kaadu. These swamp-dwelling creatures are primarily adapted for life on land, though they can breathe underwater for extended periods of time.

Kaadu lay their eggs in the open ground, leaving them fairly vulnerable to predators. These leathery eggs are quite tasty and are favored by the peko peko. The kaadu lay large clutches of eggs so that some hopefully survive to adulthood.

The kaadu possess sharp hearing and a keen sense of smell. Gungan warriors decorate their kaadu with huge goff feathers.

Behind the Scenes

The kaadu began as Tatooine beasts of burden -- two-legged animals that would haul around Podracer engines and other machinery. When the evolving storyline of Episode I called for the Gungans to be beast-riding soldiers, the kaadu was transferred to the much more humid environment of Naboo. Such a switch gave them some more aquatic characteristics -- namely a duck-billed snout and smoother skin.

The kaadu seen in Episode I are computer-generated models. Their run-cycle features a hopping trot that moves them across the battlefield at a brisk pace.