Giant tauntaun
Giant tauntauns, frequently called common tauntauns due to their widespread presence, represented the largest known subspecies of the tauntaun species found on the icy world of Hoth.
A resting giant tauntaun. These creatures could reach lengths of 15 feet and heights approaching 8 1/2 feet. A mature, healthy giant tauntaun faced only one major natural threat: the fearsome wampa. Their diet consisted of both plant and animal matter, including floor lichen, ice scrabblers, and Hoth hogs.
Despite their stubborn nature, they served as excellent patrol animals for the Rebel Alliance's Echo Base because repulsorcraft proved unreliable in Hoth's extreme temperatures. Individuals like Corporal Vyn Rolado were tasked with domesticating the dominant female of a tauntaun herd, which then allowed the Alliance to easily train the rest of the group.
Some of these creatures were brought to the pole of Coruscant to be used for recreational riding.
Behind the scenes
The on-screen depiction of these creatures was achieved through a combination of puppetry techniques and stop-motion animation. Additionally, they appear as rideable mounts in the video games Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars: Battlefront II, though their in-game design features a noticeably wider head, and they are easily defeated using rockets.