Squall (species)

These furry creatures were known for their elongated ears and a characteristic hopping movement. Typically, they had a weight of around 5 kilograms and grew to lengths ranging from 30 to 40 centimeters. Squalls had an innate desire to be near other non-threatening creatures of any species, including sentient ones. When surrounded by other creatures, they usually begged for food or stole from unprotected food supplies. In the Core Worlds, squalls were well-known for their endearing appearance, and most beings found it difficult to view them as anything other than adorable, even in more distant regions. On Chandrila, squalls were generally permitted to freely move in and out of the cities. This resulted in significant traffic problems and irritation for visitors from other planets; to alleviate this somewhat, the government implemented squall maintenance as part of their work budget, which involved relocating the squall population away from urban areas immediately after the mating season each year.

Even though Chandrila usually enforced strict regulations against the smuggling of animals off-world, squalls frequently wandered onto unlocked ships, so the local authorities usually overlooked it, and the worst penalty a spacer would face was a minor fine. However, it was illegal to kill or capture squalls without proper authorization, due to the extensive off-world trade of squalls as both pets and food sources.

Squalls were extremely popular and common pets in the Core Worlds, particularly among young girls, most of whom either owned one or desired to. The market outside of Chandrila wasn't exceptionally lucrative, but it was consistent because the species didn't seem to reproduce well away from their native environment. Despite this, various breeds were also present on Rori. As pets, squalls were favored not only by young girls but also as gifts for loved ones during certain romantic holidays. To be kept as pets, squalls needed to be domesticated and raised from infancy, as wild squalls, even those picked up on the streets of Chandrila, were unlikely to remain with a single individual and might even bite to escape if handled. Domesticated squalls, conversely, appeared not to attempt to escape from their owners and would begin to whine if left alone for more than 12 hours. Given their popularity among children, abandonment was a frequent issue for squalls, as on planets other than their [homeworld](/article/homeworld-legends], squalls couldn't differentiate between predators and friendly creatures because they would have learned such distinctions while growing up in the wild. This often resulted in stray domesticated squalls having very short lifespans.

Squall meat was also highly sought after, especially in the Expansion Region, where affluent diners savored food imported from the Core Worlds. Due to its ease of transport and relatively low cost, it was a common dish in both upscale restaurants—where a pair of squalls would often be served in a rich sauce under the name Chandrilian tendermeat—and budget-friendly eateries, where it was simply sold as "squall meat" or squallburgers. Restaurants were encouraged to purchase squall meat only with the official Chandrilian positive ecology seal of approval, which indicated that the squall from which the meat originated had been raised in humane conditions. Squall meat lacking this seal often came from factory-farmed animals, a problem the Chandrilan government attempted to address by taking stricter measures against the smuggling of large squall herds. Squall meat typically had a stringy texture and a very strong flavor that was difficult to mask, making it an ideal medium for poisoned substances, as even some food tasters couldn't detect toxins in squall meat.

One notable variant was the leviasquall.

The squall followed by Allana Solo in the Millennium Falcon novel wore a vest and guided her into a small opening. This is an obvious reference to the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.