Originating from the world of Vanqor, gundarks were savage mammals that were carnivorous and lived in the desert. These sizable creatures, known for their intense power and aggression, possessed sixteen claws along with excellent hearing capabilities. A common saying, "looked strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark," was used to describe someone in peak physical condition.
Prior to Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi being assigned to protect Senator Padmé Amidala from an attempted assassination, Obi-Wan and Anakin once found themselves inside a gundark nest. Anakin was quick to point out to Obi-Wan that he had entered the nest to save him. The leader of a gang, Tasu Leech, utilized a gundark bone as the grip for his rifle.
On a forest planet, a group of gundarks could be found within Lexim's hunting ground.
During the time Anakin Skywalker was training under Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kenobi once fell into a gundark nest. Skywalker, however, managed to rescue him. During the Clone Wars, Kenobi and Skywalker pursued Count Dooku to Vanqor. After Dooku's escape, they were confronted by a gundark. Skywalker was chased by the creature until Kenobi knocked it out. Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker's Padawan, along with several clone troopers, then sealed the gundark inside a cave.
Following the crash-landing of the Jedi Cruiser Endurance on Vanqor, Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu, accompanied by R2-D2 and R8-B7, went to the crash site to look for any survivors. Unfortunately, a pair of gundarks attacked the two astromech droids, resulting in R8 being torn to pieces. As the gundarks attempted to do the same to R2, a bomb detonated, killing one of them. R2 attempted to send a distress signal to Coruscant utilizing Skywalker's interceptor, but he was forced to tie a gundark to it in order to pull it away.
On Zardossa Stix, a Ming Po animal trainer employed two gundarks to fight Windu. With assistance from Jar Jar Binks, Windu successfully killed one of the gundarks, while the other one ran away.
Trandoshans, including Garnac and members of his hunting guild, were known to hunt gundarks, skinning them for their pelts and displaying them as trophies.
Lor San Tekka sported a belt crafted from gundark hide. Zorii Bliss wore gloves made of the same material.
The first mention of gundarks occurred in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, although they did not make an appearance in canon until the first season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. Their initial appearance in any Star Wars media took place in the 1981 Marvel comic Star Wars (1977) 51.