There can be no doubt that consciousness is widespread throughout 'all' living things. Just what level of consciousness exists within the brain of a Dolphin for instance?..the brain size and construction are very similar to Human brain make-up. Just what a Dolphin make's of say..the Physics Forum I do not know
I have seen documented evidence of Dolphins being video taped live, and their images sent to an underwater Television monitor. The Dolphins appeared to recocnize each other upon the monitor( monitor was below water at one end of the pool, and camera was one the surface at the other). The Dolphins actually took it in turns to go and look into the camera, whilst the rest of them watched TV!
I do not foresee the day just yet, that Dolphins start ordering TV dinners!
I think conscious awareness is ill defined. Soul awareness can be attributted to the self through 'ego' and there is evidence that one's ego can invoke an higher opinion of worth, above others?
I am not saying that 'souls' do not exist, there is lots of evidence, that lots of people subscribe to this line of thought, it exists in the mind of those who prefer certain answers to certain questions?