[MUSIC] JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: There are eight types of bears in the world.
And there are a few animals called bears who aren't actually bears.
The koala bear is not a bear.
It's a marsupial.
[BUZZER] A marsupial is known for giving birth and then raising its young in a pouch.
Kangaroos, and wallabies are other marsupials.
While panda are bears, [POSITIVE BELL] red pandas are not.
[BUZZER] Red pandas are more closely related to raccoons and weasels.
Speaking of racoons, in German, these animals are called wäschbars or wash bears.
They're called that because of a raccoon's habit of washing its food.
But raccoons are not bears.
[BUZZER] The bearcats is neither a bear nor a cat.
[BUZZER] Bearcats are more closely related to civets.
Sloth bears are bears, [BELL DINGS] but sloths are not.
[BUZZER] Sloths, like koalas, are marsupials.
And while you may never guess it, walruses are related to bears.
They share a common ancestor from about 40 to 50 million years ago.
For more information about bears, check out the Science Trek website.
You'll find it at ScienceTrek.org.