It comes from Africa dried and salted, in a crate just like anything else. We are a U.S.D.A. certified clearing agent, most African hides and horns that are shipped to the U.S. come to us before they are shipped to other taxidermist. You shave it as thin as you can without cutting through the wrinkles, tideous work for sure. I will go through some of my pictures and see if I cant find some of the elephant before we rehydrated it.