Word Watch

By Janice Castro

Keepers of the p.c. flame have renamed New York's grand old Bronx Zoo -- to be known henceforth as the International Wildlife Conservation Park -- feeling that the word zoo has taken on unfortunate connotations. But to be fair, how about neutral names for animals whose names have unsavory second meanings?

SKUNK: Odoriferously active Mustela

WEASEL: Diplomatically dexterous Mustela

SNAKE: Everyone's friend

PIGEON: Excretorily expressive fowl

PIG: Animal of girth

RAT: Long-tailed brother

MOLE: Optically challenged insectivore