Consciousness is related to the ability to use symbols. Human consciousness is symbolic, whereas that of animals indexical.develop
Related:
4-1a4b5c Deutsch - Consciousness is clearly intimately related to the growth and representation of knowledge within the brain
10-2g3d1 Humans do stupid things because we can guess and create meanings. Other life-forms don’t have that ability to create knowledge actively. Our ability comes with a great cost of potentially doing very (infinitely) stupid things.