Bipedalism is a form of locomotion where an animal or machine moves by means of its two rear (or lower) limbs or legs. It is a major type of locomotion that involves movement on two feet. Some key points about bipedalism include:
-
Types of Bipedal Movement: Types of bipedal movement include walking, jogging, running, and hopping.
-
Animals that Practice Bipedalism: While many animals can stand or walk on two legs, only a few practice bipedalism as their usual means of locomotion. Chimpanzees, gorillas, gibbons, macaques, spider monkeys, and capuchins are all frequent bipedal walkers.
-
Habitual Bipedalism: This is the form of bipedalism that is assumed as a regular (i.e., habitual) means of locomotion. Today, very few mammals demonstrate habitual bipedalism, with humans and kangaroos being notable exceptions.
-
Evolution of Bipedalism: Our ancestors started on the path to becoming human when they began walking on two legs. The evolution of bipedalism likely occurred gradually over a million years or so.
Bipedalism is a complex activity involving the joints and muscles of the whole body, and it is likely that the human walk has been described as striding, a mode of locomotion defining a special pattern of behavior and a special morphology.
