In the great game of evolution, elephants have racked up an impressive list of achievements. For example: They’re the largest living land animal, and scientists are still studying the their prodigious brainpower. This intelligence is readily observable in the wild. Some appear to have an artistic streak (check out the video below). Humans even pay homage to elephant smarts with a peculiar saying: “Elephants never forget.” Of course, the idea that elephants could literally remember everything that happens to them is far-fetched, but there’s a grain of truth to the idea. Studies suggest that elephants do remember past injuries, and they also remember the human beings responsible, even if years have passed.

So, in addition to being enormous, elephants are also incredibly intelligent — and we can’t forget that nifty trunk, either. From an evolutionary standpoint, elephants have some pretty cool adaptations. But are they on the verge of a new evolutionary milestone?

Some people think so.

In a 2005 report from The Sunday Times, a study by professor Zhang Li of Beijing’s Normal University claimed that “more male elephants are now being born without tusks because hunting of the animals for their ivory is reducing the gene pool.” This study focused on Asian elephants in China’s Xishuangbanna region, and concluded that the tusk-free gene originally present in 2-5 percent of male Asian elephants increased over time to between 5 and 10 percent. (While both female and male African elephants have tusks, female Asian elephants do not.)

Could poachers be unwittingly pushing elephants toward a tusk-free future? Without further research, we can’t say for sure. But the possibility is still intriguing. What do you think?

Check out the video below to learn more about one of my favorite Asian elephants: A painter named Ruby.