Growing up as a farmer’s daughter in Brazil, she became a successful international fashion model and graced multiple covers of magazines such as (Harper’s Bazaar worldwide, and did hundreds of tv commercials in Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Germany and more. However she never truly enjoyed it and always had a fiery passion for animals. After meeting her husband Clinton in Taiwan, they stayed in touch until many years later they met up again in South Africa and ultimately got married. She moved to South Africa. Barbara immediately took to the harsh bush lifestyle away from anything convenient and plannable. Her particular passion was arthropods, such as insects and arachnids. She quickly became one of the regions must knowledgeable and capable specialists and then discovered and described the world’s largest widow spider (Latrodectus umbukwane) – after rearing over 5 000 in her own home. She has also identified a potential new species of praying mantis in the region (first time the entire genus has been found in Southern Africa), and is hot on the trail of another potentially 2 new baboon spider species (Africa’s tarantulas).

Recently her arthropod passion has led her to start studying plants and trees and she is quickly became adept at this complex portion of conservation, thus making her a self-taught specialists in two of the most difficult areas of study in conservation.

Barbara joined Ubuntu Wildlife Trust after many years at a charity co-founded by her husband. She is fluent in English and Portuguese, and can get by in spoken Korean and Mandarin. She loves their cat Mithi perhaps even more than her son and husband, and also mothers over various scorpions, spiders and her growing collection of indigenous plants.

Email : barbara@ubuntuwildlifetrust.com