Koalas Are often called bears, but this is a misnomer. Despite the fact that their scientific genus, Phascolarctos, interprets as "pouched bear", koalas are usually not associates with the bear, or Ursidae family members.thirteen Koalas are literally much more carefully related to kangaroos, bandicoots and possums than legitimate bears. Koalas waiting for link from Article Directories (8)