Fortunately for the chiilak, they are far from defenseless. They are tall and immensely strong beasts, and their bulk assures that anyone unfortunate enough to get within grappling range of the beasts will suffer grevious injuries - chiilaks have been known to flatten Wookiees with one swing. Their rear limbs have sharp claws, which are used for climbing as well as combat.

Chiilaks excel at water travel: their four forward limbs are long and muscular, with webbed "paws." They swim quite swiftly. Chiilaks are air breathers, but can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes at a time. They can remain underwater for extended periods of time and dive into the deep, frigid waters of Misnor's oceans to hunt for fish. With their great stamina, chiilaks have been known to swim 300 kilometers in a single day.

Hunting chlilaks is more difficult than many people would suspect. Because of their tendency to stay in water for extended periods, hunters are often forced to don aquatic breathers and insulated suits Even with servo-enhanced articulators and ranged spear guns, they are no match for chiilaks underwater.

Chiilaks tend toward white, grey or tan coloration, with the hair darkening as the chiilak gets older. Their diet consists of fish, marine plants and a number of bushes, grasses and berries that thrive on the surface of the frozen regions of Misnor. While their natural lifespan can be over 50 local years, few chiilaks now live beyond the age of 20 due to uncontrolled hunting. Many xenobiologists have lobbied Imperial Governor Yettaw to restrict or ban chiilak hunting, but the Governor has sided with the local garment manufacturers' association, which derives immense profit from chiilak-furred garments.

Xenobiologists have noted how the continued hunting has changed the chiilaks. Their population has dwindled, from an estimate of over 100 million just 25 years ago, to now under three million chiilaks (these are estimates; the northernmost regions of Misnor are lightly populated and much of the planet remains unexplored). While chiilaks initially tended to flee from Humans (and other species) when their world was first colonized, they have learned what a danger hunters represent. They are now known to attack Humans and common species, which in turn, has led to Governor Yettaw labeling the creatures a "menace," and thereby encouraging increased hunting of chillaks. The few permanent communities in these areas (mostly hunting villages) must now build barriers around their perimenters and post guards to fend off chiilak attacks.