Record-breaking alligator captured in Texas

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Courtesy: Stuart Marcus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A record-breaking alligator was caught Wednesday morning in Liberty County, Texas. 

Gary Saurage and his crew from wildlife refuge Gator Country in Beaumont were called in to capture the giant reptile, which measured 13 feet, 8 inches long and weighed in at more than 900 pounds.

Saurage confirmed with Texas Parks and Wildlife that the gator is the largest ever caught in the Lone Star State.

The beast was brought from Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge back to Gator Country, where he has a new home and a new name: Big Tex.

"He's not going to be a dead alligator; he's going to be a live alligator here so we can educate people and show people what they're like. And this is a magnificent beast," Saurage offered.  "There's no question this is the highlight of my career."

While that may be the largest alligator caught in Texas, Florida has its share of large alligators.  There was the 15-footer nabbed in Okeechobee earlier this year, and of course the dinosaur-sized monster at a Palmetto golf course who made headlines this summer after video of his slow saunter went viral.