Koalas Tend to be often called bears, but this is a misnomer. Despite the fact that their scientific genus, Phascolarctos, translates as "pouched bear", koalas aren't customers of your bear, or Ursidae family members.thirteen Koalas are actually far more closely connected to kangaroos, bandicoots and possums than accurate bears. Koalas waiting for link from Article Directories (8)