Koalas Will often be referred to as bears, but it is a misnomer. While their scientific genus, Phascolarctos, interprets as "pouched bear", koalas are not associates of the bear, or Ursidae family.thirteen Koalas are literally far more carefully associated with kangaroos, bandicoots and possums than correct bears. Koalas are marsupial waiting for link from Article Directories (12)