I know that in Africa (and possibly South America), programs have been established that employed indigenous people in conservation programs. In some cases, the people who had actually been involved in the poaching, became (for lack of a better term) Park Rangers.

I also believe that those involved in the actual poaching, rarely are the ones who profit the most.

They do it to survive, day to day.

Offering them another income, besides poaching, was more than enough to bring the problem under control.

Not only that, there's a pretty fierce instinct for people to want to protect where they live. (In most people anyway.)