Yes... You're right. The one in Shenzhen (Beijing University) is for the graduate school 😊.
What you mentioned about the state of the Zoo in the past wouldn't surprise me either in the past, cos it's still the case in many Asian Countries (the one that are still developing), sadly even in Indonesia is the same case 😢
But China Made quite lots of improvement here and there, especially the modern cities like ShenZhen generally have more developed population in the social awareness about these topic: hygiene, noise issues, cleanliness (trash Management), manner, animal protection & Co.

I'm sure it's not always the case somewhere else more rural...
However the rural areas have their own plus points too despite the negative ones.
One example is the Level of friendliness 😅.
@jaki01 mentioned this fact to me few days after our arrival.
He wonders if Chinese people aren't friendly in general cos he doesn't see anyone smile often, not like in South East Asia.
It's actually not that Chinese alltogether aren't friendly or kind by nature, but it's the dark side of development/industrialization: individualism level of the population.
The life in the big cities are fast paced and has more pressure, it's more hectic & stressful.

The people are helpful if you ask them for aid, very efficient and thorough too in helping you, but they are not always smiling even while doing so 😅 and they are less attentive too.
So you won't see someone coming to you asking if they could aid you with something even in the Shoppingcenter aside of the welcome greeting at the door (small Shop managed by the owner is another story of course),
but if you call them... they would help you.
The police and people on the street wouldn't brother to greet you 🙈, but I always got help whenever I lost my way or had problems with something...and thoroughly up to accompanying me walking to the correct Subway Station when they're not in a hurry and even do the effort using Translation Software if I couldn't understand them well.
So basically they're only doing what they need to and mind their own business if they're not needed 😁.