Dallas Zoo giraffe, 1-year-old Witten, dies after being given anesthesia for exam

A one-year-old Dallas Zoo giraffe died Monday while under anesthesia, the zoo announced.

Witten, named after Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, was given anesthesia so veterinarians could perform a “routine physical exam” when he suddenly stopped breathing. “An urgent attempt was made to resuscitate him, without success,” the zoo said.

The zoo claims that it has perform similar exams in the past with no such issues.

“For humans and animals alike, there is always a risk associated with anesthesia and some animals react differently,” the zoo said.

Witten was born on April 25, 2018. He was named after the Cowboys player, who at the time had just announced his retirement.