It does not look as if the paper has been oiled, so it is just a matter of somehow getting it dry, and taking a close look at it. Think of it as an experiment. If it ends up with no holes in it, try it on the engine and see if it runs properly (a restrictive air cleaner causes rich mixture). If you look at that filter, you will see that it has a flange top and bottom. The flange is designed to hold a thin urethane foam pre-filter. Most filters come with an oiled pre-filter installed on them, and when they do, you remove the pre-filter and clean/re-oil it regularly. You inspect the paper element simultaneously, but it lasts a long time if it has an oiled foam pre-filter around it. When I see one like yours with a space for a pre-filter but without one installed, I suspect that somebody was trying to promote the sale of replacement filters.
