Do Animals Ponder Humans?

This morning I hear some noise outside my window. Rustling leaves attracts my attention and gets me out of bed. I've been awake a short while, starting my daily routine as usual, but have yet to get out of bed. The noise springs me out of bed in search of the matter.

Slowly pushing aside the shades, twisting open the blinds, I see a squirrel foraging inside the bush outside my window. Moving ever so slowly, I know the slightest move will startle the creature. I gaze in wonderment. A short time later, again some rustling. Again moving as slow as possible, I see quite a few sparrows going about their daily routine of finding something to eat.

I notice how both the squirrel and the sparrows move with lightning speed. They act and immediately react to their environment. They are always on alert, looking for the next meal, aware and acting according to their nature. They seem to have an instilled program, like my computer has an installed program to play music.

I know there is evidence of evolution in all living things, but what doesn't make sense is the idea that mankind has evolved past animals such as these creatures I see scampering about. Mankind has 'programs' forwarded onto the next generation.

Why is it that we're the ones pondering them?

Which other creature takes inventory of other species as we do creation?

What other creature comes remotely close to our almost exponential development?

If evolution is explained in place of creation, why are there no competitors to our understanding, our comprehension, our dominion, our emotion or our response to nature?

I don't think the squirrel cares if a sparrow drops dead, but why does the human care?

Why does the human empathize while creation seems indifferent, surreal?