It's funny that we'll look at the creatures in Star Wars and think how special they are. Whether it's a small little slug-like thing or a huge creature like a bantha, they seem so otherworldly and special. What's the real difference between an elephant and a bantha though? Apparently there's not much of a difference since they used elephants for Banthas. Monkeys and apes aren't that different from some of the cool creatures in Star Wars either. What I'm trying to say is that maybe the alien world we need to discover is the one in our own backyards.
There are some animals that are so weird that I bet if you put them in a Star Wars movie people would think they were made up. Just look at any of the weird deep sea creatures they discover every years. Those things are straight from space.