No wall hanging: Elephant has the right stuff

Taxidermy Unlimited, headed by Marv and Betty Gaston and lead taxidermist Alan Gaston, has preserved hunting and fishing memories for their clients for almost a half-century. The shop in Burnsville is nearing completion of a full-sized elephant, and Marv Gaston discussed the process:

Q Has your shop ever done a life-sized elephant?

A No. We've done a lot of exotic animals, lions and so forth, as well as game fish and animals more familiar to people in the Midwest. But this is the first elephant. In fact, I don't believe a life-size elephant mount has been done in Minnesota.

Q How was it shipped from Africa?

A It arrived in 10 pieces. Of course the hide was salted over there. Then it was sent to a tannery in Michigan to be tanned. The skinned ears came packaged together to us, the head, the hind end, including the tail, and three panels on each side.

Q The hide eventually was stretched over a form. Where was the form sculpted?

A A fellow in North Carolina did most of it. It's made from 20-pound density polyurethane foam. It's extremely strong. The initial carving took about a month, with the sculptor working a minimum of two hours each day. Then the form was shipped to us.

A Yes, right down to the blood vessels in the ears. Five of us worked on it. It's very time-consuming.

Q How big was this elephant?

A Quite large. The tusks weighed close to 80 pounds apiece. Its height is 12.5 feet, and its width, 5 feet. It's pretty good sized, but they do get bigger.

Q Where in Africa was it killed?

A In Tanzania by a man who has a private museum he uses in part to educate schoolchildren about wildlife.

A Its head is removable, as are its ears and tusks. That leaves the main body, which still weighs about 1,200 pounds. As for delivery, there is a specialty moving company here in Burnsville we'll use. It'll be shipped in a special semi trailer with soft sides inside.

Q What will the mount cost?

A About $120,000.

Q And the cost of the safari in Africa?