Jerba

The jerba was an equine pack animal and beast of burden native to the desert planet Tatooine. Many jerbas were raised to produce meats, milk, pelts and leather.

Biology and appearance

A horse-like creature, the jerba was a four-legged beast of burden with a hide of long, shaggy fur and an elongated head topped by two crooked horns. Jerbas had long, hairy tails and hooved feet.^[1]

History

A jerba tethered near . — A jerba tethered near Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina.

Jerbas were raised by colonists on Tatooine to provide pelts, leather, meat and milk. The Human herder Swilla Corey raised jerbas, working as a ranch hand near the Motesta Oasis, and traded jerba goods at nearby farming communities. Disaster struck when a sandwhirl and a pack of anoobas killed or scattered Corey's entire herd, forcing her to beg in Mos Eisley. There, she recognized the brand of one of her jerbas outside Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, and was informed that the creature belonged to the Pacithhip scout Ketwol. In fact, Ketwol had discovered and taken in several of the animals after they fled towards his ship, Swilla attempted to steal back her property, but the Pacithhip caught her in the act. The two came to an agreement. Swilla was given shelter and allowed to return to the desert with her jerbas, and often returned to visit her new friend.^[2]

Products made with jerba hide included jerba leather boots, worn by Leia Organa during her enslavement to Jabba Desilijic Tiure,^[4] and jerba-skin rugs such as the one kept by Obi-Wan Kenobi on the floor of his hut in the Dune Sea.^[5] Padmé Amidala's japor snippet necklace featured a cord made of jerba leather.^[6] Jabba the Hutt also had a taxidermized jerba head hanging in this throne room.^[7] Some belts and other equipment were also made with jerba leather during the struggle between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith Empire.^[8]

Behind the scenes

Unused concept art for . — Unused concept art for *Star Wars Galaxies*.

Jerba is derived from Djerba, the most famous Tunisian island and the biggest North African island. (See also Tunisia for other Tunisian-inspired names.)

Two jerbas are seen near the entrance of Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, and Deacon was to have kept a jerba outside Tosche Station in one of the film's deleted scenes.^[9]