SF-R3, also referred to as Aree, was a Safari droid manufactured by Serv-O-Droid, Inc. for the Galactic Society of Creature Enthusiasts. Alongside fellow droid CAM, SF-R3 traveled across the galaxy, documenting and studying the various species of wildlife that inhabited the cosmos. From the hairy banthas of Tatooine to the immigrated porgs of Batuu, the Safari droid often found himself in complicated situations with various fauna, but always tried his best to learn as much as he could about the creatures of the galaxy.
Before 232 BBY, SF-R3 "Aree" was created by Serv-O-Droid, Inc., after the creation of Safari droids were commissioned by the Galactic Society of Creature Enthusiasts. SF-R3 would be paired with a cam droid CAM, and the duo would go around the galaxy in their ship, completing and recording missions for the Society.
In 232 BBY, Aree and CAM went to the planet Yamradi to learn more about the chylaroos. Aree invited along three Jedi younglings Kai Brightstar, Nubs, and Lys Solay. They quickly spotted a small group of chylaroos and studied about the little creatures. While the rest of the group were busy studying the chylaroos, CAM was distracted by a strange noise behind the bushes and went missing.
Sometime later, aboard a large freighter; Aree was transporting various creatures including a varactyl, gargantua, bantha, and other small critters to with the assistance of Brightstar, Nubs, and Solay. In their journey, the freighter ran out of fuel and they stopped at a nearby planet, Kundu.
Aree later visited the planet Tenoo for the Visitor's Day celebration, where many guests visit. from across the galaxy. During the celebration, he then saw the unveiling of the Visitor's Day sculpture by Solay.
Aree attempting to tame a tauntaun
During or after 34 ABY, Aree and CAM were sent on a mission to the planet Hoth in order to research how the tauntaun reptomammals were tamed. Aree quietly snuck up behind a tauntaun while it ate and hopped onto it's back. However, Aree lost balance and fell off. Aree's second plan was to drop a saddle onto the tauntaun from above and then drop onto the saddle. This caused the tauntaun to get disturbed, running around in an attempt to get the droid off its back. Aree flew off the saddle and fell into a pile of snow. After noticing the tauntaun eating some berries, Aree hopped onto the tauntaun's back once more and used a jogan fruit pie to tame the tauntaun. The tauntaun ran straight into an icicle and Aree was hit, disconnecting his head from his body. He eventually reconnected his head to his body, eventually having finally tamed the tauntaun, coming to the conclusion that while tauntauns may not always be the sweetest creatures, they love the sweetest treats.
While on Hoth, Aree was also tasked to take care of a wampa, sick with the common cold. Aree used his temperature reader to take the wampa's temperature, and then proceeded to lay warm blankets on the it. Aree gave the wampa some rootleaf stew, causing the wampa to sneeze which blew Aree back. He then decided to give the wampa a warm bath however, the water shot right into his head. Aree eventually started a fire, which caused the wampa to sneeze and make snow fall from the walls of the wampa's cave. The snow cured the wampa's cold, causing Aree to realize that wampa colds are cured by colder temperatures.
After Hoth, the droid duo were sent on a mission to the planet Dathomir in order to research how to clean a rancor's teeth. However, Aree was eaten by the rancor. Waking up in the mouth of the rancor, Aree tickled part of the mouth, causing the rancor to spit out Aree. He used a bone to tickle the nose of the rancor, causing it to open it's mouth. Aree stuck the bone in the rancor's mouth, however, it was quickly snapped in half by the rancor. Aree detached his arm and stuck it in it's mouth, this time in success, and began to work on cleaning the teeth. The process was tedious, and by the end Aree had only cleaned one tooth. Disturbed by bird, Aree shooed it away, causing the rancor to sneeze the safari droid back again. The birds then rushed to clean the rancor's teeth naturally in a quick and easy process. Aree came to the conclusion that the best way to clean the rancor's teeth is to let nature take its course.
Afterwards, Aree went to the desert world of Tatooine in order to figure out how Tusken Raiders cleaned banthas. After finding a group of banthas, Aree tried multiple methods of cleaning and grooming, but none worked to any avail. Aree eventually figured out that all was needed was a water hole and hard work.
Aree travelled to the forest moon of Endor to wrangle blurrgs. He used a speeder bike and attempted to lasso up the blurrgs. He then tried to use lights to lure the blurrgs back into their pen. However, they crashed right through the fences. He then used the speeder again to move in circles around the herd but was launched into the air due to a malfunction of his bike. When he fell, his programming began to play music which he discovered would allow him to lure the blurrgs into their pen.
Aree went to the planet Cholganna on a mission to study a nexu in its natural habitat. While attempting to find one, Aree and CAM were ambushed by a nexu. Aree ran and decided to watch the nexu from a further distance. Using binoculars, he witnessed as the nexu was attacked by a group of poachers. Aree and CAM made chase of the poachers in their starship. Aree dropped from the ship, untying the nexu, and causing the poachers to run away.
Aree was sent on a mission to the planet Naboo in an attempt by the Society to train voorpaks to be guards. Aree tried multiple methods of teaching the voorpak defense. The voorpak opened Aree's chest containment, finding his fireworks. Aree kicked the firework into the sky before it exploded. The voorpak became furious and chased Aree. However, after seeing CAM, the voorpak stopped in order to play with the cam droid. Aree came to the conclusion that voorpaks were good at guarding as well as goofing off.
Aree was sent to Lothal to foster an orphaned tooka cat. Aree took care of the tooka for a couple days, and the tooka caused multiple problems on the droid's starship. To solve this, Aree built the tooka a playground to play in. Aree eventually gave the tooka to an individual so it could be given to a new family.
Aree ventured to Elphrona to discover if charhounds played fetch. Aree travelled to a cave on the planet, in which he found a charhound. However, when he tried to play catch with the charhound, the hot temperatures of the charhound burned the rod. Aree then tried a reinforced rod, which also burned. Aree kept trying different rods, provided by CAM who took them from his ship. The rods all burned. About to give up, Aree noticed some heat resistant crystals. Trying to play fetch one last time, the heat-resistant crystals worked, and Aree played fetch with the charhound.
Aree landed on an asteroid in his ship to try and find a mynock. Aree tried using batteries to lure the mynocks out. A mynock eventually followed the trail of batteries. The mynock landed on Aree's arm and began to suck energy from him. This caused Aree to realized that he was made of energy, and thus was potentially in danger. Aree began to run to his ship as a horde of mynocks chased after him. They were able to get into their ship and fly off the asteroid. However, mynocks latched on to the ship and began to suck energy from the power converter. A mynock latched on the Aree's head and sucked more energy from him, putting him into low power mode. Aree stumbled to the lever to open the airlock. In opening the airlock, the mynocks were sucked out as well was Aree. As Aree began to drift deeper into space, CAM saved him, bringing him back to the ship, and closing the air lock. CAM charged Aree, and jumped into hyperspace.
Aree went on a mission to the planet Kowak, in an attempt to befriend some Kowakian monkey-lizards. A group of Kowakian monkey-lizards stole parts of his ship. Aree attempted to give the Kowakian monkey-lizards some food in order to friend them. However instead, they threw around CAM. They then began to throw the food at Aree, which he tried to dodge. After a monkey-lizard jumped upon his head, he engaged into defensive mode, beginning to throw the fruit at the monkey-lizards. This caused the monkey-lizards to burst out in hysterical laughter. For befriending them, the monkey-lizards repaired Aree's ship for him.
In 34 ABY, porgs were brought to the planet Batuu when a light freighter landed at Black Spire Outpost. Aree was sent on a mission to the planet in order to train the porgs. Aree used his training clicker in an attempt to make the porgs sit. However, this was to no success, and instead Aree accidentally launched a porg off the rock they were on. Next, Aree tried to get the porgs to spin round, also to no success. Again, and again, Aree tried to teach the porgs expressions and tricks. Eventually, Aree was snuck up on by a batuuan braga bear, causing the porgs to instinctively fly away. Noticing the bear, Aree ran away, begging for the bear to not eat him. As Aree finished up his holorecording, he was chased by the bear once more.
Aree was friends with M1-RE, also known as Miree, who was a specialized member of the Society who studied the behavior of younglings from all across the galaxy. Aree asked Miree to show viewers on the Holonet how they could take care of younglings. Miree did so while she was stationed on the Youngling Care Space Station, and she was recorded by the cam droid CAM-E.
SF-R3 was equipped with multiple tools and devices, including but not limited to a training clicker, a firework, temperature reader, and a brush. He also had a ship to travel the galaxy.
SF-R3 was created for Star Wars Galaxy of Creatures, a webseries that debuted on StarWarsKids.com on October 14, 2021, in which he was voiced by Matt Surges. During development, the team decided to have a droid as the main character of the series. The team originally wanted a pit droid. However, Matt Martin didn't like the idea of having a droid designed for a specific purpose do another. So, the safari droid was created in replacement, while still having features similar to that of a pit droid.