New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- The orangutans found abandoned in a forest in Odisha should shake us. This is not just about the tragic abandonment of an endangered species. It is a mirror to our menagerie mentality. It also tells us we have learnt little about preventing zoonotic diseases since the Covid pandemic. It's no secret that keeping exotic pets has long been popular among India's wealthy elite. Who does not remember Wajid Ali Shah, forced to leave Lucknow for Kolkata in 1856, dragging his menagerie of exotic animals along with him? Most died, unable to survive the change in climate. That pattern has not changed. We have all heard of zebras and giraffes smuggled in and paraded at weddings. We have heard of African grey parrots as pets. The ...