An example that stuck with me was on a windy day when I saw a seagull approach a telephone pole, coming in with the wind, turning 180 degrees and landing neatly facing the wind.

The brain of those creatures are tiny. No scientists are handholding them as they grow up.

Yet they manage to search vast areas for food, learn new ideas like stealing from shops and tourists and even as you mention - self replicate.

Yes, while AI is improving we are orders of magnitude away from replicating animals.