Most animals do not have a crystallized individual soul. They are generally governed by the soul of the species. That is why they rarely have distinct individuality.
However this particular elephant may have acquired an individual spark having been in close contact with the human. If so its soul will leap through certain other animal births and take a first human body, starting its journey in a human form.
At that point in evolution, was that elephant’s soul evolved enough to decide that this is what I want to learn/gain in this lifetime? or is someone else making these decisions at that stage?
No at this stage there is no individual soul and even after that it takes a few or number of human births before it can make such a choice.
Affectionately,
Alok Da