Big alligator problem in Florida

An alligator which almost died out is causing big problems in America.

Three people have been killed in a week by the Florida Alligator. It was almost hunted to extinction, but now there are more than two million in Florida.

As homes are being built near the places where the alligators live, there have been more and more attacks.

Now people are being allowed to hunt the creatures to cut their numbers and hopefully stop the problem.

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Crocodile hunter Gary Matthews said: "They have got to do something about culling the herd."

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Female Florida Alligators are rarely bigger than 2.7m (9ft) in length, but the males can grow much larger.

The state record for length is 4.5m (14ft) and the heaviest ever recorded weighed 473kg.

Although there have been more attacks in areas where people live in Florida, most alligators are found in an area of swampland called the Everglades.