A one-year-old giraffe named after Jason Witten has died at the Dallas Zoo.
Zoo officials said Witten was undergoing a routine physical exam Monday when he suddenly stopped breathing while under anesthesia.
They tried to resuscitate him, without success.
"We have performed these physical exams many times in the past without incident, but for humans and animals alike, there is always a risk associated with anesthesia and some animals react differently," Gregg Hudson, president and CEO of Dallas Zoo said in a statement.
Witten was born in April 2018. He was the second calf for his mother, Chrystal.
"Hoofstock animals, like giraffe, are incredibly resilient animals, but we will continue to keep a close eye on the remainder of the herd to ensure that each of our animals is healthy, and adjusting to this loss," Hudson said. "My heart goes out to the staff who've worked so closely with all of our giraffes; the loss of an animal is always difficult, and even more so when the loss is sudden."
The 5 foot 9 inch, 145-pound giraffe was given the name Witten after the longtime Cowboys player.
