Ronto/Legends
Ronto were large, quadruped mammals that were commonly used as beasts of burden by the Jawas of Tatooine. They were known for their loyalty and strength, being able to carry hundreds of kilograms of weight. They were large enough to frighten off Tusken Raiders, though they were easily spooked by machines, such as speeder bikes.
Characteristics

Like the native dewbacks of Tatooine, ronto were easy to train and became quite fond of their masters,[4] whose faces they associated with food.[5] Rontos had superb senses of hearing and smell, although they had poor vision, which is why they were startled by sudden movements. Rontos needed large amounts of water, although their skins shed excess heat, allowing them to function well in desert conditions. They were rarely exported, though, because offworlders thought their skittishness made them unreliable in urban areas. Another reason the ronto was popular with the Jawas is that Jawas did not usually visit urban areas, so it was ideal for desert travel.
When in heat, female rontos gave off a powerful, musky scent much like the smell of a Rodian. During mating season, Rodians on Tatooine were encouraged to stay away from male rontos, lest they inadvertently become the target of a ronto's affections.
Related species
A species that appeared to be related to the ronto lived on the planet Kashyyyk. In contrast to their Tatooine cousins, they had a darker coloration, a more elongated cranium, and much smaller ears. They also appeared to be less easily spooked than their cousins and were in fact quite aggressive if they came under attack. While typically encountered in small groups, how they came to the planet is unknown.
Appearances
"Sandbound on Tatooine" – Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 10
- Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (First appearance) (Introduced in Special Edition)
- A More Wretched Hive: The Mos Eisley Cantina
"Vested Interest" – Mos Eisley Adventure Set
"Harvest Day" – Mos Eisley Adventure Set
"Crimson Bounty" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 14 (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: DroidWorks
- Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service (Mentioned only)
- X-Wing: The Bacta War (Mentioned only)
- Young Jedi Knights: Shards of Alderaan
Sources
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Picture only)
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire Limited Collector's Edition
- The Black Sands of Socorro
- Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition
- Platt's Smugglers Guide
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Special Edition Limited (Card: Ronto) (backup link)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Behind the Magic
- Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
- Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Essential Guide to Alien Species
- ↑ Star Wars: Head-to-Head Tag Teams
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2
ronto in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ The Essential Guide to Alien Species
- ↑ Legacy of the Force: Invincible