There's a Bear in There

Polya's version:  (How To Solve It 1957)

A bear, starting from point P, walked one mile due south.  Then he changed 
direction and walked one mile due east.  Then he turned again to the left and 
walked one mile due north, and arrived exactly at the point P he started from.  
What was the colour of the bear?


Gardner's version:  (Mathematical Carnival 1990)

An explorer stands at a certain spot on the earth.  Looking due south, he sees 
a  bear a 100 yards away.  The bear walks 100 yards due east while the explorer 
stands still.  The explorer then points his gun due south, fires and kills the 
bear.  Where is the man standing?


Smullyan's version:  (What is the Name of This Book? 1990)

A man is 100 yards due south of a bear.  He walks 100 yards due east, then faces 
due north, fires his gun due north, and hits the bear.  What colour is the bear?

All three give solutions which involve either the North Pole or the South Pole.

I suspect the originator of the problem knew more about wildlife than these three
(which is why s/he included a bear in the problem in the first place).  

There are no bears, of any colour, at the South Pole.

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