How the Penguins Saved Veronica makes many references to global warming and its ecological impact on the world’s penguin population. The activities that penguin researchers in the novel perform are similar to other studies being conducted in multiple places to understand the species and provide for its future.

Penguins only live in the southern hemisphere. The largest species tend to prefer the coldest climate, while some smaller species inhabit the tropics as well. Although most can be found in Antarctica, penguins also live in Australia, New Zealand, the southern tip of Africa, and coastal South America. Because penguins have no natural land predators, they are unafraid of humans. Chicks are vulnerable to bird attacks by skuas and gulls, as the novel describes. Adult penguins fear only leopard seals, killer whales, and sharks. The sociability of the species is noteworthy since most prefer to gather in large colonies. This feature of penguin behavior is particularly relevant to the novel’s emphasis on the importance of community, whether animal or human.

The Emperor Penguin is the tallest species at over three feet in height. In contrast, the Little Blue Penguin is the smallest at 13 inches tall. The novel focuses primarily on the Adélie species, which falls midway between these two extremes at 28 inches in height.