Une réponse est donnée dans l'article !!

Inspired in part by past research conducted in Cameroon, in which children who failed the mirror test tended to be the most compliant and obedient, Broesch and her colleagues speculated that the performance in the non-Western, more interdependent cultures may have been affected by the fact that children in these societies are often discouraged from asking questions (they’re expected to learn by watching). ‘This is in sharp contrast with the independence and self-initiative that tends to be encouraged and nurtured in the Industrial West,’ the researchers said. Another factor could be the non-Western children’s relative lack of familiarity with mirrors.

Bon sang mais c'est bien sûr ! Si les éléphants se reconnaissent dans le miroir, ainsi que les ourangs-outangs, c'est qu'ils ont le langage et les concepts pour communiquer une question !

L'argument de la familiarité avec les miroirs se retrouve un peu plus loin.