India, Feb. 22 -- Punch, the abandoned monkey carrying his foster mama, an orangutan plushie, around in a Japanese zoo, has pierced deep emotional holes into the global internet audience's conscience. Viral clips of the 6-month-old Punch's attempts at dealing with life in the enclosure where he's lonely despite the cacophony around him have left rarely anyone with dry eyes. Most of us have been rooting for this valiant little fellow, who carries his "mama" around for safety, emotional and physical.

How utterly lacking in self-awareness we human beings are! We, the higher species! We, the self-declared custodians of all other forms of life around us! We, who make decisions for everyone, notwithstanding the impacts that resemble condemnati...