For the opening song, see Circle of Life

Mufasa: "Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."
Young Simba: "But, Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"
Mufasa: "Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

—Mufasa teaching Simba about the great Circle of Life

The Circle of Life (a.k.a. "The Great Circle of Life") is what all living creatures around the Pride Lands are connected in. It is what the Lion King must follow in order to preserve the gloriousness of the Pride Lands. After Scar claims the throne upon Mufasa's death, he ignores the Circle of Life, causing the Pride Lands to change into a barren wasteland; however, after Simba becomes king upon Scar's defeat, he restores the Circle of Life to the Pride Lands, bringing it back to its original greatness.