SINGAPORE - An unexpected guest called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong this week: a barn owl.In a Facebook post on Wednesday evening, Mr Lee announced the "surprise visitor".
"A beautiful barn owl had flown into the building overnight, and perched itself comfortably high out of reach," he quipped.
In the post, accompanied by a photograph taken by his security officer of the white-and-brown speckled owl , Mr Lee said that the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and the Jurong Bird Park were called in.
The owl has since been captured and released unharmed behind Sri Temasek, the Prime Minister's official residence at the Istana. The Istana grounds are a green refuge for many species of birds and animals, he said.
"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," he said in the post, which has garnered more than 24,000 likes.
The post has also attracted over 1,500 comments, with numerous people joking that Mr Lee must have received a message from Hogwarts, the fictional British school of magic in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
In the books, letters and parcels are delivered by owls from one wizard to another.
MyPaper
Friday, Nov 22, 2013
Friday, Nov 22, 2013
Lee Hsien Loong Facebook
Found a surprise visitor in my office this morning. A beautiful barn owl had flown into the building overnight, and perched itself comfortably high up out of reach. We called the AVA and Bird Park for help (but not the police ). They managed to capture the owl, and released it unharmed behind Sri Temasek.
The Istana grounds are a green refuge for many species of birds and animals. 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. – LHL
(Pic by Adeline Teh, my SO)
李显龙总理办公室 发现“不速之客”
日前出现一位「不速之客」，一隻毛色漂亮的「穀仓猫头鹰」(Barn Owl)深夜时分飞进府内，停留在一般人碰不到的挑高天花板下缘，一早被刚到府内上班的总理李显龙看到，他拿出手机帮猫头鹰拍了照，上传到自己的《脸书》(facebook)与民眾分享。
李显龙表示，他们打了电话给农良与兽医局，还有新加坡知名的裕朗飞禽公园寻求协助，但并没有报警。事后工作人员顺利将猫头鹰抓到，并带到新加坡总统府总理官邸后山野放。
