It was a far cry from the “shirt-fronting” promised by summit host and Australian PM Tony Abbott, and before the famously flinty Putin skedaddled back to Russia claiming somnolence, even he cracked a smile while cosying up to the eucalyptus-eater. (The koala, though, looked a bit alarmed.) Soon everyone wanted in on the koala-cuddling action: Germany’s Angela Merkel and the IMF’s Christine Lagarde were seen cooing at Abbott’s koala, while Obama’s furry friend seemed to have a romance blossoming, much to the amusement of the handlers. Even PM Narendra Modi was not immune to the koala’s charms — though he did jokingly accuse Abbott of “shirt-fronting” Australian MPs after making them listen to speeches in parliament by himself, Xi and British PM David Cameron. Xi skipped the koala mania and went trailing after another adorable Aussie — a kangaroo — while Peng gamely petted a wombat.

The UN climate change conference in Peru begins in just under a fortnight. Who knows what delights summiteers will offer while thrashing out agreements on hot air — shots with shaggy llamas overlooking Machu Picchu, perhaps?