my %bighash = ( 'Arizona'=> { 'ZOO_1' => [ '5','HIPPO', ['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_2' => [ '10','HIPPO',['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_3' => [ '2', 'PUMA', ['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_5' => [ '1', 'PUMA', ['some arr'],['some arr']], }, 'Indiana' => { 'ZOO_9' => [ '25', 'ZEBRA', ['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_5' => [ '13', 'MONKEY',['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_6' => [ '23', 'ZEBRA', ['some arr'],['some arr']], }, 'Nevada' => { 'ZOO_3' => [ '3', 'HIPPO', ['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_7' => [ '11', 'HIPPO',['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_4' => [ '21', 'LION', ['some arr'],['some arr']], 'ZOO_12' => [ '13', 'MONKEY',['some arr'],['some arr']], }, );