I remember a quest where I was tasked with finding a Miqo'te poacher. When I found her she said she only killed a few animals to help feed her ailing family and begs me to let her go. The game didn't give me a choice in the matter, but I would have let her go anyway.

It made me wonder how, if her story was true, could the elementals put the lives of some dumb animals above the lives of intelligent beings. My conclusion is the elementals are jerks.