a striped snake molting in a rice paddy in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. This is an uncommon observation even among snakes in captivity.
As the weather warms, snakes emerge from hibernation and shed their skin as they grow. While finding shedded skin is common, witnessing the actual molting process is more difficult. Snakes are vulnerable during this time and seek hidden, safe places to shed their skin.
Photographer Shintaro Seki, 51, spotted a striped snake with cloudy eyes, indicating it was ready to molt. Cloudy eyes are caused by fluid entering the gap between the old and new skin.
He later observed the snake's nose crack open as it emerged from its old skin, its eyes becoming rounded. The molting process, similar to turning a sock inside out, took about an hour.
"Its eyes were luminous and its body was glossy," Seki said. "I was moved when I saw one molt for the first time. It is a moment that is not often seen even in captivity."
Striped snakes are endemic to Japan and can be found throughout the country.
Seki advises people not to approach or touch a molting snake. "Snakes are very nervous during molting, so watch over them gently," he said.