Finally arriving to Kenya after their unfortunate airplane accident, Chief Ripley orders Jack and the player go to the Amboseli National Park to search for Lavinia De Brills, a diamond heiress that SOMBRA has also sent assassins to look for, since she's currently on a safari tour in the savanna. Once there, Jack and the player find not Lavinia, but the body of her safari guide Kariuki Maina shot with an arrow and trampled by elephants.
Tropes:
- Animal Lover:
- Throughout the case, Sanjay makes friends with different wild animals in the savanna, such as an elephant and a lion cub, and attempts to run off to live with them during the Additional Investigation due to fearing the SOMBRA mole in the Bureau.
- There's also Nyota Adhiambo, a wildlife protection ranger whose sole motivation for work is her love for animals. She even killed the victim after she discovered he was poaching elephants.
- Animal Nemesis: Elephants as a whole are this for Muthui, who decided to poach them after they destroyed his farm and left him without a job.
- Animal Stampede: At the start of Chapter 3, a stampede of migrating wildebeests almost tramples Jack and the player until Nyota comes and rescues you both.
- Assassination Attempt: At the end of the case, you discover SOMBRA has sent an assassin to kill Prince Abioye in South Africa, leading to the Bureau travel there.
- Asshole Victim: The victim was an elephant poacher who cheated on his wife with a local wildlife ranger so she could give him information regarding the aforementioned animals.
- Awful Wedded Life: Damaris, the victim's wife, claims their marriage had been in shambles due to discovering he was cheating on her and neglecting their housework.
- Big Damn Heroes: Nyota saves both Jack and the player from being trampled by wild wildebeests at the start of Chapter 3.
- Continuity Nod: Sanjay mentions how the elephant you find holding the murder weapon reminds him of a friend he once had.
- Corrupt Bureaucrat: Melvin Cheruiyot, a local bureaucrat who was being bribed by the victim so he would turn a blind eye to his poaching business.
- Elephant Graveyard: One acts as a crime scene, though it's actually one used by local poachers rather than naturally-dying elephants.
- Evil Poacher: Both the victim and Muthui Ndiritu, his accomplice, were elephant poachers who killed them for their ivory despite them being endangered species. Fortunately, Muthui is put behind bars when you find about it.
- It's All About Me: Lavinia couldn't care less about matters that don't concern her or her diamond firm, taking displeasure in being interrogated about a murder investigation just because you're interrupting her. In the Additional Investigation, she decides to cooperate with you exclusively because she realizes her diamonds are in danger of being seized by SOMBRA.Lavinia: What? Is that all? I'm missing perfectly delicious nyama choma for this?
- Karmic Death: The victim was murdered with a poisoned arrow, just like poachers tend to kill elephants.
- Lame Pun Reaction: Jack has a one in response to Lars' usual joke.Jack: Bro, we're kinda busy right now. But okay. Who's there?Lars: A face!Jack: A face who?Lars: A face-scinating sample of blood it was you sent me!Jack: .........
- Love Hurts: Nyota was genuinely in love with the victim, but when she discovered he not only was already married, but was just using her to find elephants to kill, the heartbreak she felt led to her murdering Kariuki for his troubles.
- Misplaced Retribution: Carmen momentarily interrupts your investigation to berate Jack for "allowing" Sanjay to adopt an elephant when Jack precisely told him he couldn't have it.
- The Mistress: Nyota was this for the victim, much to her disdain.
- Must Have Caffeine: In the Additional Investigation, Lars drinks some traditional African coffee, which makes him severely energetic.
- Native Guide: The victim was a local tour guide who used said job to disguise the fact he was also an Evil Poacher.
- Not Proven: Despite the strong evidence that Melvin was involved with the victim's poaching and selling ivory on the black market, the lack of proof makes it impossible for you to arrest him, leaving him as a Karma Houdini.
- Poisoned Weapons: The victim was killed by being shot with a poisoned arrow which, according to Angela, led to a severe cardiac arrest.
- Royalties Heir: Lavinia De Brills, a diamond firm heiress who SOMBRA has its sights on, appears as a suspect.
- Running Gag: There's one of Sanjay suddenly popping up in the middle of your investigation to either talk or present you a new animal buddy he's found in the savanna.
- Selective Obliviousness: Throughout the case, Jack refuses to believe there's a mole inside of the Bureau, but is later forced to accept the fact when Elliot informs you that their satellite was sabotaged from the inside.Jack: No, I refuse. We're like a family! A dysfunctional family! But I know in my heart no one here is SOMBRA.
- The Paranoiac: Jack shows shades of this at the start of the case while recalling how there's a traitor among the team, though he soon replaces it with Selective Obliviousness.Jack: Who should we suspect, <Name>? Chief Ripley? Lars? You??
- Shout-Out: This case contains a handful of references to Disney.
- The case's title comes from The Lion King (1994) song "Circle of Life".
- In the Savanna scene, there is artwork resembling the logo of The Lion King.
- Sanjay finds a baby elephant who he decides to name Elsa, with Jack telling him that he must "let it go".
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Sanjay calmly speaks with a baby elephant so it can give you a bow being hold on its trunk after Jack's yelling fails to do the trick.
- Spy Speak: The Bureau mole and SOMBRA were communicating using the weather coordinates and codes mentioned in the previous case, which sound like this. Fortunately, Michelle's knowledge about SOMBRA's practices allows her to easily decipher what it means.Elliot: The mole said, "Stormy conditions not recommended for flying. Due to lightning, high risk of severe frost. Extended outlook unstable. Continued warning for -3.209.24 +02.1237. Warm front confirmed -9.234 85.51.3."Michelle: <Player's Name>, clearly, "stormy flight" refers to our Madagascar plane crash...And "frost" indicates blown cover! By saying "high risk of severe frost," the mole warned SOMBRA that, after the crash, you discovered their existence!
- Sticky Fingers: In the Additional Investigation, Sanjay steals some of Lavinia's papers in an effort to find money, since he wanted to leave the Bureau and live with the animals in the savanna due to being scared about The Mole.
- Tempting Fate: Jack is grateful that The Mole inside of the Bureau hasn't done anything, but then...Jack: Speaking of inside people, at least the alleged traitor among us hasn't d-Elliot: <Player's Name>, come quick! Someone's sabotaged our satellite, BOB!
