After seeing Din Djarin, the people of Mos Pelgo, and the Tusken Raiders team up to take down a krayt dragon, fans may be curious to learn more about these incredible monsters. Thankfully, Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy by S.T. Bende and Iris Compiet efficiently summarizes known facts about krayt Dragons and even reveals some new details. This brings all the appearances of krayt dragons together in one source and explains more about how they operate in Tatooine's ecosystem.
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Krayt Dragons Are Officially Tatooine's Apex Predators - Even Consuming Sarlaccs
No other creature on Tatooine is a match
While there are many dangerous animals on Tatooine, Star Wars Bestiary confirms that none of them stand a chance against a krayt dragon. The book details how "Tatooine's apex predators are positively gargantuan - and exactly how large they can grow remains to be determined!" Although krayt dragons primarily hunt "unsuspecting prey such as Jawas, Tuskens, and banthas," they are more than capable of killing a full-grown sarlacc. This is an impressive feat considering how Return of the Jedi hyped up sarlaccs as terrifying predators who digested their prey over 1,000 years.
Krayt Dragons Use Sarlacc Pits To Hunt From
Perhaps they should be called "krayt pits"
Once a krayt dragon has killed a sarlacc, they often take over a sarlacc pit and use it to hunt other prey. The pit offers plenty of protection while being close enough to the surface for a krayt dragon to sense movement in the sand and pounce quickly to attack a creature. This means Jabba the Hutt was lucky a krayt dragon never took over the Great Pit of Carkoon and attacked his sail barge while he was sending captives to their deaths.
There Are Several Different Species Of Krayt Dragon
This explains the different depictions throughout Star Wars
Star Wars Bestiary also clarifies that several different species of krayt dragons exist on Tatooine. This would help explain how different Star Wars stories have visually depicted krayt dragons, from the krayt dragon walking above ground in the now Legends video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to the krayt dragon staying beneath the sand in The Mandalorian season 2. Krayt dragon species include "the sixteen-limbed, venom-spitting leviathan krayt dragon; the large greater krayt; and the smaller canyon krayt."
According To Legend, Ancient Krayt Dragons Had Wings
A fitting feature for something called a dragon
One of the most surprising facts in Star Wars Bestiary is the legend passed down by the people of Tatooine. Natives of the planet believe that an extinct krayt dragon species had wings and could fly, similar to the traditional real-world legend of dragons. However, there are no recordings or physical evidence to back up this idea, so it's ultimately up to readers to decide whether they believe this is true within the Star Wars universe.
The Krayt Dragon's Venom Explained
They breathe acid instead of fire
Krayt dragon venom was one of the most horrifying surprises in The Mandalorian season 2, and Star Wars Bestiary reveals more about it. The poison is primarily meant to "ward off assailants" from a distance, though its acidic properties mean it can melt through most creatures. When the venom remains inside a kyrat dragon, it serves to help digest its food.
Krayt Dragons Are Hunted For Their Pearls
The Sand People treasure them
Finally, while krayt dragons are Tatooine's apex predator, Star Wars Bestiary clarifies that they are hunted for their pearls. While it appeared that finding a krayt dragon pearl was simply a bonus after killing it in The Mandalorian season 2, it turns out that it's an actively sought-after treasure. The Tuskens even believed that krayt dragon bones contained magic and would collect them during their travels across the desert. This is one of the book's more fascinating reveals, adding more clarity to the nature of krayt dragons in Star Wars.
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