Sad news: baby elephant has died.

[Quinn]

Without going into details, to assume everything humans do now is adaptive would be foolish.

I expect keeping animals with little resource value in captivity started with the Pharaohs, who brought various African animals back from war with them, perhaps to impress their people.

I wouldn't argue that this isn't a unique and perhaps "higher level" activity, but as shown by Koko's experience with the kitten, this interest in other living things is quite natural, and our concern for other species does not indicate we are somehow special.