Individualist Intelligence

Under what circumstances could an inherently individualist species become intelligent and advanced?

Usually, animals require social interaction for intelligence to develope. Or at least that's what is commonly assumed. Yet, many largely solitary animals like alligators and monitors are still smart, in some cases enough to use tools or learn commands.

I want to make my species inherently individualistic as stated in my question: Would my species even create a government?, but several answers stated a species that asocial would never become advanced.

Our species became intelligent, or so I've heard, in response to rapid changes in our environment. What rapid changes would drive a largely solitary species to become smarter?

Ideally, I'd like it to match the evolutionary path I've laid out for the species. They were originally aerial predators that became terrestrial, omnivores that lived largely in mountainous, temperate rainforests and fjords.

posted about 4 years ago

Aezyc‭

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