The Gand planet is the homeworld of the Gand, an insectoid species exhibiting sentience. One subspecies requires respirators to live in atmospheres rich in oxygen, as they breathe ammonia. Zuckuss, a well-known bounty hunter, was a member of this species and one of the first traditional findsmen to venture away from his native world.
Gand are a sentient insectoid species of stocky build, possessing two toes, three fingered appendages, brown skin, and a pair of large compound, silver eyes on their heads.
There are two distinct subspecies of Gand: one which inhales ammonia, the primary component of the atmosphere on their homeworld, Gand. The other does not breathe at all, instead absorbing sustenance from food and producing speech-like sounds through modulated flatulence.
Gand that breathe ammonia must use respirators covering their mouths to breathe in environments where oxygen is abundant. Genetically, they are distantly related to the Kel Dor and Tognath species, who also rely on masks when away from their respective homeworlds.
Certain Gand are findsmen, adhering to a mystical tradition that has existed for centuries on their fog-covered planet and are celebrated for their remarkable tracking abilities. The language they speak shares the same name as their species. Leaving their homeworld is contrary to Gand tradition, and uttering their last name often signifies a sense of deep shame.
Engineers and spies of the Gand species are among the most respected in the galaxy. Many Gand were unwillingly forced into the service of the Empire. Rinn, a Gand bounty hunter hailing from the planet Gand in the Outer Rim Territories, accepted a job from Jango Fett prior to the plot to assassinate Senator Amidala. Between 5 BBY and 4 BBY, an engineer of the Gand species was coerced by the Empire to construct the Blackburn ship model, but was later saved by the Spectres. During the Galactic Civil War, one Gand resided on Nar Shaddaa, also known as the "Smuggler's Moon," and another served as a crew member on the starship Espirion Multi. Zuckuss, a male Gand bounty hunter, became one of the first findsmen to depart their homeworld as their traditions waned. Churkk, a Gand, left Gand when he was young, only to be stranded on Parnassos for the remainder of his life.
The Gand made their debut in the 1980 movie Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back as the species of the then-unnamed bounty hunter Zuckuss. The character, played by Catherine Monroe, was designed by Ralph McQuarrie and John Mollo, and the mask was created by Stuart Freeborn. The mask's compound eyes were made using bubble wrap, while the costume consisted of a full-head mask with attached cylinders containing colored water. The actress was instructed to blow air into the cylinders to produce bubbles.
Zuckuss's species was formally identified as Gand in Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, a 1989 Star Wars Legends supplement penned by Michael Stern for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. This designation became canon through its inclusion in Zuckuss's entry in Ultimate Star Wars, a reference work co-authored by Patricia Barr, Adam Bray, Daniel Wallace, and Ryder Windham, released on April 28, 2015.