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Knuckle-walking tends to evolve when the fingers of the forelimb are specialized for tasks other than locomotion on the ground. In the gorilla the fingers are used for the manipulation of food, and in chimpanzees for the manipulation of food and for climbing. In anteaters and pangolins, the fingers have large claws for opening the mounds of social insects. Platypus fingers have webbing that extend past the fingers to aid in swimming, thus knuckle-walking is used to prevent stumbling.Gorillas move around by knuckle-walking, although they sometimes walk bipedally for short distances while carrying food or in defensive situations. Mountain Gorillas use knuckle walking plus other parts of their hand—fist walking doesn’t not use the knuckles, using the backs of their hand, and using their palmsGorillas

Gorillas use the form of walking on all fours with the fingers on the hands of the front two limbs folded inward. A gorilla’s forearm and wrist bones lock together to be able to sustain the weight of the animal and create a strong supporting structure. Gorillas use this form of walking because their hips are attached differently than humans so standing on two legs for a long period of time would eventually become painful. Humans would have to walk on all fours as well if they had the same type of hip placement. Gorillas sometimes do walk upright in instances where dangers are present. Walking upright is a way to improve the ability to watch for danger, those who could do so for longer without any pains have a better survival advantage and evolved into bipeds.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees abandoned knuckle walking due to the lack of dry land for some time. Since there was no dry land for miles and miles Chimps adapted by jumping from tree to tree and learning how to swim. After the land dried there was no sign of Chimps using knuckle-walking anymore, they stayed to swinging from tree to tree and even started to walk on two feet when they were on the ground.