A barn owl made a surprise visit to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's office on Wednesday morning. It had most likely flown into the building overnight and was found perched high and out of reach, said PM Lee in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

He added that the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Jurong Bird Park were called in to help. The bird was later caught and released unharmed behind Sri Temasek.

"The Istana grounds are a green refuge for many species of birds and animals," PM Lee said in his post. "We should preserve and create many such green spaces all over our island, so that in our urban environment we can enjoy the natural flora and fauna of Singapore."

The post has since garnered more than 23,000 likes and shared some 1,400 times, with many applauding the Prime Minister for releasing the bird unharmed. Facebook user Loh Wai Poon said in a comment: "We are sharing this planet with other creatures and we should let each other live as free as possible. Why should we harm a bird when it accidentally (flies) into our homes?"