Are Koala Bears Bears?

The
Common Misconception about Koalas Koalas Are NOT a
Type of Bear

According to National
Geographic and Live Science, a
koala is not a type of bear at all.
Rather, it is a marsupial, or a
pouched mammal, therefore
more closely related to that of a
kangaroo or a wombat. Koalas
and bears are only similar up
to the class level Mammalia,
after which the koala branches
off to the infraclass Marsupalia,
and then into the order
behavior (Live Science, 2012). Diprotodontia, followed by the
Koalas, often referred to as
Because of this, koalas began family Phascolarctidae, and then
koala bears, have always
to be known as koala into the genus Phascolarctos,
been universally connected
bears. There are very few ultimately giving the koala its
to another animalthe bear.
facts that can support this scientific name, Phascolarctos
In fact, it is a common
myth, including the fact that cinereus. Kangaroos and
misconception for people to
they both come from the wombats also fall under the
believe that koalas are a type
class level Mammalia (Live order Diprotodontia, whereas
of bear. According to the
Science, 2012). However, this bears belong to Carnivora,
Australian Koala
appears to be the only
Foundation, the Europeans proving the koalas more
logical explanation.
were the first to refer to closely-knit relations.
koalas as koala bears.
When the Europeans first
came to Australia, they In reality, koalas are NOT
Dont fall into this common
believed koalas beared a bears.
misconception!!!
striking resemblance to
bears and, in fact, believed
they were miniature bears,
due to their appearance and