They emerged from the seas of the planet Vogsphere, and gave up on evolving there and then. Only their stubbornness allowed them to survive.

They generally become bureaucrats in the galactic government. Their unpleasant demeanour makes them ideally suited to such employment.

One such Vogon is Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz, of the Vogon Constructor fleet. Having destroyed the Earth in order to make way for a hyperspace bypass, he then proceded to read some of his poetry to two helpless victims.

It is hard to hitch lifts on Vogon ships - it is only made possible by the Dentrassi cooks employed by Vogon fleets.