The number of eastern lowland gorillas in Congo has fallen by more than 70 percent in the past 10 years after armed groups, refugees, miners and villagers destroyed the apes' habitat during years of civil war and instability. Estimates suggest there are now fewer than 5 000 eastern lowland gorillas left, down from about 17 000 in 1994, said Erica Archibald of the Atlanta-based Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.