The shaclaws were enormous, heavily armored insects originating from Voss. They were equipped with formidable foreclaws, which they used to rip apart the flesh and armor of their enemies. These foreclaws were also employed by shaclaws to dig into the ground, searching for roots and underground mammals that served as their food source. The Gormak regarded them as a culinary treat; however, upon death, they released lethal poisons. Consequently, they needed to be prepared in a specific way, while still living. Shaclaws held in captivity were found on Nar Shaddaa, and it is thought that wild shaclaw populations were moved to Taris, where they lived in the wild.
During the period of the Cold War, the Republic conducted experiments on the moon of Nar Shaddaa, attempting to breed shaclaws enhanced with cybernetics as weapons. The goal was to deploy them against the Sith Empire.