The Lama Forest Reserve (16,250 ha) is southern Benin's most important protected forest and a critical refuge within the Dahomey Gap (a vast savanna corridor that has historically isolated West African forest ecosystems). It harbors more than 50% of Benin's primate diversity, including three threatened species that are the focus of this project: the red-bellied monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster, Critically Endangered), the white-thighed colobus (Colobus vellerosus, Critically Endangered), and the olive colobus (Procolobus verus, Vulnerable). Despite its conservation importance, the Lama Forest has never been surveyed using canopy-level camera traps. Previous studies relied exclusively on ground-based line transects, missing the full picture of arboreal wildlife and introducing significant detection bias, particularly for shy, canopy-dependent species like Colobus vellerosus. Compounding this gap, local communities surrounding the forest continue to rely on bushmeat, creating persistent hunting pressure on already vulnerable primate populations. With support from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and Re:Wild, GeoEBC-NGO launched the first dual-level camera trap survey in the Lama Forest, deploying 10 canopy cameras (at ~15 m height) and 5 ground-level cameras across the Noyau Central (4,785 ha of dense semi-deciduous forest). Camera stations were distributed proportionally across the main habitat types (dense forest, degraded forest, and fallow) based on Landsat 8 satellite imagery. Simultaneously, line transect surveys were conducted along layons 12 to 15, covering approximately 300 km across 8 field missions. Community engagement activities were carried out in 4 villages surrounding the forest, reaching 200 people through semi-structured interviews focused on perceptions, attitudes, and bushmeat consumption patterns. To provide sustainable livelihood alternatives, a grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) breeding cooperative was established, and 1,000 wild fruit tree seedlings were planted in the buffer zone. Preliminary findings are already revealing the hidden richness of the Lama Forest. A total of 32 arboreal species spanning 13 orders were detected, including all three target primates. The red-bellied monkey recorded 103 independent detection events, olive colobus 31, and white-thighed colobus 11, confirming the latter's rarity and strict canopy dependence. The survey also captured the endangered white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) and the recently described Benin tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax interfluvialis), a species virtually undocumented in this ecosystem. Line transect data recorded 2,145 individuals across 12 mammal species through 980 contacts, with the highest primate concentrations found along layon 12. Temporal analysis shows that 75% of detected species are strictly diurnal, with clear activity peaks between 07:00 and 12:00, findings that directly inform patrol and monitoring schedules. These results are being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A permanent biomonitoring plan for threatened primates will be established across all small forests in southern Benin, and periodic surveys of bushmeat markets will be conducted to track hunting pressure over time. This project is laying the scientific and social foundation for the long-term conservation of the Lama Forest's irreplaceable primate community.