Mendel Douglas, a renowned hunter of game, famously embarked on a journey across the planet Douglas III located within the Centrality region. His goal was to obtain the pelt of the rare jackelope. He was successful in his hunt, adding the jackelope to his collection, yet Douglas did not return. Consequently, both the Douglas system and its third planet were named to honor the late hunter.
Mendel Douglas initially appeared in the 2001 roleplaying article titled "A Campaign Guide to the Centrality," authored by Michael Kogge for the publication Star Wars Gamer 5. Kogge's piece expanded upon existing lore that was initially conceived by L. Neil Smith in his 1983 novel series, The Lando Calrissian Adventures, which marked the first mention of Douglas III.
Star Wars Insider 145 reveals that Smith cannibalized the names of his professional contacts to create names for Douglas III and other subjects in the series. In Earth's culture, the twentieth-century taxidermist Douglas Herrick is known for creating the American jackalope—a mythical creature blending the body of a jackrabbit's with the antlers of a pronghorn antelope—which became a tourist attraction in Herrick's hometown of Douglas, Wyoming, where even jackalope hunting licenses are sold.
- " A Campaign Guide to the Centrality " — Star Wars Gamer 5 (Initial Mention)
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Drawing from the Imagination: Mythological Creatures in Star Wars, Part 2 on StarWars.com (article) (content now obsolete; backup link)