How important are we?

Creationists claim that God created man in all his glory since it makes no sense for man to have just accidentally evolved through mutations and survival of the fittest. Other believers assert that evolution of man is iteself evidence of God. Atheists, like Ayn Rand, glorify man and his infinite capabilities. Our belief long ago that the earth is the center of the universe came from the simple belief that we are too important to not be the center of the universe.

Do other species similarly believe that they are important? Is this the instinct that makes a species reproduce and survive? Is this sense of importance what makes us want to do the best we can in life? Is this the root of our moral values?