The population of the shanjaru dwindled to near-extinction levels during the era of the Cold War. Drooga, a Hutt, obtained a male and female shanjaru, thinking they were the last of their kind, intending to use them as food for his banquet. In an effort to rescue the shanjaru and restore their numbers, Momi Andrell, along with a coalition of animal welfare advocates, intervened. They absconded with the female from Drooga's pleasure barge, collected genetic material, and dispatched it to Coruscant. Subsequently, Risha Drayen presented the male shanjaru to Drooga.
Lazhae, a scientist known for his unconventional methods, asserted that the species exhibited signs of developing sentience, but his findings were questionable.