Koalas In many cases are generally known as bears, but this is a misnomer. While their scientific genus, Phascolarctos, translates as "pouched bear", koalas aren't members on the bear, or Ursidae relatives.thirteen Koalas are literally a lot more carefully connected to kangaroos, bandicoots and possums than true bears. Koalas are waiting for link from Article Directories (7)