Golf Interrupted: The Mystery of the Shed Snake Skin

My friend went golfing and during the game found a huge snake skin. From the photo he shared, I guess it might be a cobra. These army golf courses still shelter reptiles, unlike most others where they don't leave any space for them. It could also be a python since it’s a long skin. Why do they shed their skin?

Molting of the skin occurs regularly in snakes. It's common and results in the entire outer layer of the epidermis being lost. In the case of snakes, it is called shedding or ecdysis. A new layer of epidermis grows beneath the old one. On average, snakes tend to live until they're around 10 years old, meaning they shed about 20 times during their lifetime.

There were 6 or 7 players, and one guy noticed the skin. He called out to the others, and they all gathered around. Conversations followed:

- One was curious to know why the skin was shed.

- Another was busy estimating the size and type of snake.

- Someone else was worried about the risk of having many snakes in that place and thought maintenance was lacking.

- Another shared his experience of encountering snakes on golf courses.

- One more told a story about how Sadhguru befriends snakes.

- Someone else talked about a recent book he read and how the author looks at complexities in a simple, spartan style.

The game became secondary, and the incident took center stage.

At the end of the day, the snake in its burrow was probably happy to have shed its skin, wondering how all this knowledge will help it get its next meal.