Sea lions in danger in SA, environment group warns

An environmental lobby group says climate change could push South Australia's native sea lions to the point of extinction.

WWF is using National Threatened Species Day to highlight the vulnerability of sea lions, which can found from the state's west coast to the Coorong.

Vicki-Jo Russell from WWF in South Australia says there are fewer than 10,000 Australian sea lions left.

She is concerned that rising sea levels, warmer waters and a lack of food will bring the species closer to extinction.

"Australian sea lions are the one species that were previously hunted that haven't come back in their previous levels," she said.

"They're still going in decline from fisheries interactions, lack of habitat, and climate will probably exacerbate those."

The Federal Government has announced more than $70,000 in grants for community groups to help protect threatened species in South Australia.

The funding will be used to help conserve swamps on the Fleurieu Peninsula, protect Malleefowl from feral animals, and help restore habitat for threatened species of flora in the Murray-Darling Basin.