The Carnival of the Animals and xylophone. From the beginning, Saint-Saëns regarded the work as a piece of fun. On 9 February 1886 he wrote to his publishers Durand in Paris that he was composing a work for the coming Shrove Tuesday, and confessing that he knew he should be working on his Third Symphony, but that this work was "such fun" (). He had apparently intended to write the work for his students at the École Niedermeyer, but it was first performed at a private concert given by the cellist Charles Lebouc on Shrove Tuesday, 9 March 1886. A second (private) performance was given
Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad prevent unnecessary harm to working animals. In 2005, SPANA treated over 370,000 animals in countries like Morocco, Mali, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, Ethiopia and Jordan. Notable supporters of the charity include Prince Asem bin Al Nayef, SPANA's honorary president in Jordan; Lady Odile Slynn, a former president of SPANA, Francis Newall, 2nd Baron Newall, the current president of SPANA; John Craven, a patron of the charity; and Jim Broadbent, who presented a programme about the work of SPANA on "This Morning" in March 2006. Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA)